Could you come with me for a moment?
Huh?
Stop fooling around and come with me.
What are you talking about?
I just need to ask you something.
What's with this 'Organization' stuff?
...
Huh? Your phone's off.
...Who were you talking to?
...So you talk to yourself.
What were you trying to tell me earlier?
About fifteen minutes ago. Before the conference started.
You were trying to tell me something, right? You looked really upset.
You looked like you were going to start crying any second.
Why? Have we met before?
And how do you know my name?
Huh?
Is there something wrong?
O-ow!
Hey, that hurts! Let me go!
What's wrong with you?
Hey! Could you not talk about me like that? I'm perfectly fine.
It came from the future?
Interesting...
...
...Hey.
Are you trying to get yourself arrested?
What truth, you perv!? You stupid!? Wanna die!?
No way! Did you just see my underw...!?
...
Wait. Doctor Nakabachi?
Excuse me, um...
Okay, Hououin-san. I'd like to hear your story in more detail.
Huh? Oh, right. Thank you.
Um, I'd like to thank everyone for coming to hear me speak today.
It's my first time giving a lecture like this, so please forgive me if I'm a little nervous.
For today's lecture, I've been asked to speak on the subject of time travel. It's not really my area of expertise, but I'll try my best.
Let me start by saying that time travel is an absurd concept.
Hwa...!?
Um... okay. It's fine, I guess. It'll be easier to talk in a discussion format.
But before that, please listen to my thoughts on the subject.
Scientists have proposed many theoretical models of time travel, but there are eleven in particular that bear mentioning.
Neutron Star Theory. Black Hole Theory. Lightspeed Theory.
Tachyon Theory. Wormhole Theory. Exotic Matter Theory.
Cosmic String Theory. Quantum Gravity Theory. Cesium Laser Theory.
Elementary Particle Ring & Laser Theory. Dirac Antiparticle Theory.
However, all of these models are purely theoretical.
Some of them even contradict each other.
Hm? Ahh, uhh, right, well...
It could be contradicted by the 13th model, now couldn't it?
By the way, time travel to the future is available to us right now, according to Einstein's special theory of relativity.
For example, let's say someone were to go to Haneda Airport and board a plane headed to Okinawa. Upon arrival, that person would be about one hundred millionth of a second farther into the future than I am.
According to the special theory of relativity, time moves slower for objects as they approach the speed of light.
For example, if you could run at near the speed of light, you could reach a point where time only moves half as fast for you.
If you were to keep running at that speed for 24 hours, 48 hours would elapse in the rest of the world, meaning you would 'jump' one day into the future. Understand, Hououin Kyouma?
Yes, you're right.
Going to the past is possible right now. Take a look at the sky at night. You can see light from tens of thousands of years ago, can't you?
Well, I was just getting started.
Let's say we wanted to make a machine that could physically transport people through time. What would we need?
The best candidates for this are cosmic strings and wormholes.
A cosmic string is a string-shaped 'crevice' with extreme mass.
The crevice is about as wide as an elementary particle, and at least as long as the diameter of a galaxy.
It has immense mass, so it distorts space-time. If you were to travel through that distortion, you could make a full circle around the string in less than 360 degrees.
In short, you can do something resembling a warp. This is called a space-time angular deficit.
When you pass through an area of angular deficit, transit time becomes zero.
Now we apply this to a cosmic string moving at near-light speed.
According to the special theory of relativity, time will flow slower for the cosmic string in relation to its surroundings. Therefore, passing through the area of angular deficit would cause the transit time to become negative instead of zero.
In other words, you will arrive in the past after transit.
If you use two cosmic strings, you can do a space deficit jump. If you loop back to your original location, you can return to the same time you started revolving.
And that, roughly speaking, is time travel by means of cosmic strings.
By the way, just so nobody misunderstands, cosmic strings are not the same as superstrings.
Now then, you need three things in order to travel to the past with cosmic strings.
First. The cosmic strings themselves. Two strings, to be exact. By the way, they are hypothesized to exist only where the universe was first formed, so they might be a little hard to find.
Second. You would need the energy required to make them move them at near-light speed.
How much energy do you think you'd need to accelerate something as long as the Milky Way to near the speed of light? I'm pretty sure it's a little more than 1.21 jigowatts.
Third. You'd need a spaceship capable of reaching these cosmic strings and returning. With the time traveler alive, of course.
What do you think, Hououin-san? Care to take on the challenge of cosmic string time travel?
Hm? Looks like Hououin-san doesn't want to take the challenge.
In that case, let's consider wormholes. They may be a little more realistic than cosmic strings.
By the way, Hououin-san. Do you know what wormholes are?
Yes, that's correct.
There are two wormholes joined by a tunnel. No matter how far away the wormholes are, transit time through the tunnel is zero.
But oh no, there's a problem. The wormhole tunnel suffers from super gravity, and collapses as soon as it opens.
So we need something to negate the effect of gravity.
So-called 'exotic matter'. A substance with negative mass which repulses other matter.
Say that the wormhole tunnel is being squished by an invisible fist.
In order to pass through, you need something that could oppose my fist's 'grasping force' so that I can't squish anymore.
If you stabilize the tunnel with exotic matter injection, instantaneous travel between wormholes becomes possible. To travel through time, however, takes a little more effort.
For example, let's say there's a wormhole entrance here in Akihabara, and the exit is in Los Angeles.
First, we send the wormhole in LA all the way to the end of the universe at near the speed of light. And once it's there, we yank it back to LA.
According to the special theory of relativity, time slows down for objects moving at the speed of light. Meaning the hole that returned to LA would be further in the past than the Akihabara hole.
So now, if Hououin-san jumped into the wormhole, he'd arrive in LA several years before he left.
However, this still can't be called true time travel. It only seems that way. This is called the Urashima effect.
The important part is to return to Akihabara from LA through the wormhole once more. Since the transit time is zero...
Hououin-san will return to Akihabara several years in the past. Time travel complete.
The prerequisites for wormhole travel are simpler than the ones for cosmic string travel.
First. The wormhole itself. They may exist somewhere in the universe. But nobody has ever seen one.
Second. The energy required to move a wormhole to the end of the universe and back at near-light speed.
Third. Exotic matter, which, by the way, has not been confirmed to exist.
Now do you see what I meant when I said that time travel is an absurd concept?
Time travel theories are all just thought experiments. Not one of them can create a viable time machine. That is my answer.
I'm afraid not.
This is the limit of modern physics. I can't say how it might change in ten years, though.
Besides, even if someone did overcome the logistical requirements, there may be other factors that prevent time travel from working.
And that's because fundamental problems concerning the principle of causality have not yet been solved.
If you think that conservation of mass applies to macro-systems like the universe or micro-systems like atoms or elementary particles, you're mistaken.
Heh.
Conservation of mass only applies to chemical reactions. It doesn't hold in modern physics at all.
Something can⑰ come from nothing.
The time paradox of time paradoxes. In other words, the Grandfather Paradox.
As long as this paradox goes unsolved, time travel can never be realized. Never.
You can't think of it like a sci-fi movie. It's not just about your family tree. There are far greater dangers than that.
Any paradox, no matter how small, would cause the total collapse of causality, relativity, and every other physical law in existence.
Paradoxes are nothing more than thought experiments. They cannot occur in reality, and they should not.
Nothing that has even a 0.000001% chance of causing a paradox can happen. The universe won't allow it. Wouldn't you say this is the logical conclusion?
There may be loopholes, like parallel worlds or the self-consistency principle, but those seem too much like fantasy for me to accept.
Who are you calling a zombie?
I'm here to see you, Okabe Rintaro-san. Or is it Hououin Kyouma-san?
I'm not dead, alright? Please stop killing me off.
Hashida-san, can you do something about this guy?
Get ahold of yourself.
Hashida-san gave me the address after yesterday's lecture. He also told me your name.
Yes. You claimed to have seen me die. I came to see if that was the truth, or just a pathetic excuse to grope me. I came for the answer.
But your current behavior is all the answer I need. It was all an act to grope me. My initial hypothesis was correct.
Anyway, let's put that aside for now.
I haven't properly introduced myself yet, have I? I'm Makise Kurisu. Pleased to meet you.
You can't even shake hands? Are all Japanese men this difficult?
I've lived in America for seven years. What about it?
What's your problem?
Don't be ridiculous.
Give it a rest.
What kind of stereotype is that?
...Fascinating.
Have any forceps?
It's squishy.
...No taste. Gross.
No thanks.
As if. Who would eat some perv's banana?
Huh?
Huh? ...huh?
...Ah!!
Why you...
You... ass!
I get it. You're both pervs.
Okay! If I came off as a little rude, I apologize.
I was only acting that way because you molested me, but I'll ignore that for now.
Please tell me what happened to this banana. I'd also like to hear about that...
That microwave thing.
Name subject to change? What's that about?
I couldn't care less about its name.
That creepy grin... are you thinking perverted thoughts again?
Who the hell's Christina!? I never said that!
...Which are?
Ramen?
You mean you want me to join your research team? I'm supposed to return to America in August.
Gh...
You're so full of it. Let's see the contract, then.
I don't mind lending you my knowledge, but if there is more pervy nonsense involved, the answer is NO.
No more molestation?
You said that was condition one. So there's gotta be a second one, right? It better not be--
...
You mean for you.
Geez... I feel like I'm hypersecreting noradrenaline. Let me pick my jaw up off the floor.
Stop adding -tina! My name's Kurisu!
...Okay. I accept.
I won't answer to either. Use my real name, Hououin.
...
You're such a child.
Come on! No more saying 'perv'! I won't treat you like a perv either! So let's drop it already!
No '-tina' either.
Fascinating.
I think we can at least throw out completely worthless⑰ theories like electromagnetic weaponry and teleportation.
Can we run the experiment one more time? I want to see it for myself.
Okabe-san, Hashida-san, please watch the bananas.
Whatever. Just keep your eye on the bananas!
Sixty seconds have passed. Any change?
100 seconds.
...
Huh? Oh... uh...
A-at 104 seconds, it d-disappeared. Abruptly. Yeah.
...
Teleportation... is that even possible?
It did move... No matter how unbelievable that may be...
Could it be quantum teleportation... no, that only occurs on the quantum level...
Did it really teleport? It's dangerous to reason from the conclusion.
...
Let's sort this out.
Neither the banana bunch nor the frozen chicken teleported. Correct?
But aren't those chicken pieces smaller than bananas?
What about salt? You experimented with salt too, right?
Maybe the plate was in the way.
Then, maybe each individual grain of salt was too small... or something?
Hmm... I need a clue...
Anything else? Have you noticed anything else about the PhoneWave?
Forget about that.
So? Have you noticed anything or not?
Discharge? How much?
What were the circumstances?
Doctor Nakabachi...
That email you showed me at ATF yesterday?
It said someone stabbed me at the presentation, didn't it?
Uh, what?
...
...And?
I understand that they're related somehow. But how?
Hashida-san, talking to this guy's so tiring.
I'm Makise. Apparently, I'm a lab mem now.
Huh? Me?
When did I become your assistant!?
I don't even know your email address.
Don't call me your assistant!
I thought we agreed to stop saying that!
Good job, Hashida-san!
We experimented on them.
You'll be reimbursed later. By Hououin-san, that is.
An electrical discharge!
That was definitely more than two seconds.
H-hey! Look at this!
This can't be caused by electrical discharge. Some other phenomenon?
The chicken doesn't matter! Right now, we need to determine what happened with the Phonewa--
Hey, Hououin Kyouma! Do something about this! Mayushii-san learned my name wrong!
Just spit it out. What do you think it is?
Get on with it.
...No way.
A time machine? A time machine!? It can't be!!
Ah.
Hey. When did I become your assistant?
...Why are you glaring at me?
Oh, so you're just raging? Don't glare at me.
That's because you keep doing pervy--
Ah, no, I'm not saying anything.
Are the emails you're getting really that unpleasant?
If you're going to call me names, could you at least be consistent?
Anyway, my business here doesn't concern you.
I'm not pouting. I just don't want to get involved in your silly games again.
...I regret losing myself to curiosity back then.
...I guess.
It doesn't make sense. Normally, they calculate satellites' orbits so that they burn up in the atmosphere when they fall. So how can that thing be in such perfect condition?
They still don't know. Rumors say it's from the former Soviet Union, but Russia denies it. So it looks like they can't remove it yet.
Organization? What's that?
That's obviously a crackpot conspiracy theory, thank you very mu--
...
N-nothing! Really, nothing, okay? Say another word and I hit you!
A-anyway! What's happened with the PhoneWave!?
Just answer me. Have you learned anything?
I see...
Hello? Can you put your phone away when you're talking with someone?
Why are you so pompous?
...
Are you done with your little mail exchange? Hououin-san?
I was being facetious.
Okabe-san... have you sought professional help?
This is exhausting...
You're pompous, but at least you have some manners.
I hate people who play with their phones in the middle of a conversation.
When we first met? I didn't do that.
What? What do you mean 'giving your report'?
No. And don't go making one up either.
I wasn't hit by lightning! And I was still living in Japan when I was five! And why Arkansas?
Not Utah? I mean, relatively speaking, isn't Utah more suitable?
...No reason. I simply didn't want to believe. Fringe science should stay in the realm of fiction.
I saw... but we must be missing something. Or maybe we're just seeing what we want to see.
Remember what I said at ATF? Time machines are just a pipe dream given modern technology.
And yet a bunch of amateurs like you just stick a phone and a microwave together and expect time travel to occur? Ridiculous.
What do you mean, word games?
Wait, are you rejecting modern physics? Who do you think you are?
When hypotheses pile up, and theories are verified, they become reality.
That's how modern physics comes to understand the truth of the universe.
So you're going to do nothing, just because you could be wrong? Then enjoy your dirty little lab and your silly gadgets, because that's all you'll ever have.
You'll never reach the truth that way. Failure teaches success.
...You're never getting off your high horse, are you?
...What?
I don't know what to say unless you can give me some examples.
The occult? Really?
...
...It's a different field of study.
True, but...
No.
I won't have a hand in your fringe science. I won't make the same mistake my father did.
You make a fine argument, but it won't work in the scientific community.
The day you decide to research time travel is the day you're out of a job.
Because that's what happened to my father.
My father, a physicist, loved time machines. He was so fascinated by Wells's 'The Time Machine' that he seriously studied time travel.
But because of his obsession, he was practically exiled from the scientific community.
I will never⑰ get involved with time travel research!
...I'm sorry. I got emotional.
...Huh?
...Anyway, the PhoneWave isn't a time machine.
Email is a manmade system, so this phenomenon should be explainable in the scope of that system.
...
...I wasn't planning on it.
Don't call me Christina.
You look ridiculous!
No, I don't call myself your assistant! And besides, I still have something to ask you!
I asked you about this before, but you said I got stabbed, right? I demand an explanation.
Why would you dream about me?
You said something about Doctor Nakabachi, didn't you?
That presentation was canceled because of the satellite crash.
I don't flirt. Especially not with idiots like you.
Escapism? That's unexpectedly chicken of you.
So who stabbed me? Don't tell me it was you.
I don't get it. Why do I have to die in your mind? You have something against me?
My hero.
...I've heard enough. No more hallucinating about me, okay? Dying isn't fun, even if it's in someone else's head.
You have a comeback for everything, don't you.
Kyah! What now!?
You trying to pick a fight?
Okay, okay, fine. What is it?
I don't know what you're talking about.
Hey! Don't tell me to forget about it!
What is the IBN five... whatever?
Yeah? What are you going to do with it?
...
...Just a little.
SERN? You mean... the⑰ SERN?
...Great. I shouldn't have asked.
Not your assistant! Makise Kurisu!
I'm not Christina either! How many times do I have to tell you?
Whose fault is that? Whose?
Hashida-san told me.
I said I'm not your assistant.
Haah, what's the point... Where are you now?
Ah, okay. Bye then.
...
What are you talking about?
I just wanted to ask you where you were. And since you said you were coming here, I came.
And yet, here I am.
...
Not because I wanted⑰ to or anything. Don't get me wrong.
...I can't stop thinking about what you said yesterday.
About the IBN 5100. And SERN.
What's wrong with my face? How rude!
Can you calm down a bit? You're always screwing around. I can't believe you're older than me.
All I'm hearing is gibberish.
I just want to know how the IBN 5100 and SERN are related.
Sh-shut up. I'm not interested in time machines at all.
More importantly, did you find an IBN 5100?
A shrine?
Hey. What are you two talking about?
No! What kind of introduction is that!?
I am Japanese.
Wait! Introduce me properly!
It's unnatural not⑰ to be introduced in this situation!
An introduction wouldn't take more than ten seconds! What's wrong with you?
Yeah, whatever. Assistant, whatever... sigh.
Nice to meet you too. How old are you?
A year younger than me...
...
Thanks. I think you're very cute.
You are such a jerk.
Of mankind?
Achoo!
Oh no, did I catch a cold?
...His name isn't Hououin. It's Okabe.
I'm just telling the truth.
Okabe Rintaro is the name your parents gave you, right? Are you denying that?
Who's a zombie!?
Um, I'm...
...
...
What, something wrong with that? I spend all my time doing research.
I thought so too, until I met you. Now I realize I'm doing just fine.
Your father is a lovely man.
Huh?
Hey, wait! Don't misunderstand, you two. That's not what I meant!
P-please don't cry...
I just meant I was jealous of how well you get along with your father. That's all.
Don't cry. We've resolved the misunderstanding, so it's all okay.
Die.
Hey! What kind of lowlife teases a girl?
Pathetic. It's only as big as a CRT monitor.
Wheugh...!
...It's r-really heavy.
This thing's gotta weigh like 30 kilos.
Maybe we should've borrowed a push cart. Urushibara-san, is there one in the shrine?
Oh. Is there some other place we could borrow--
Then how are you going to bring it back? It takes about ten minutes to walk to your run-down lab from here.
So that's why...
Well, if we carry it together, we might be able to manage, but...
But I refuse.
I... I said 'no!'
Sh-shut up. I said no.
The whole reason you made me a lab mem was to 'borrow my knowledge'. From this, it is elementary to derive the following: 'I won't do physical labor.'
Eh? You're going to help? Will you be okay?
Th-then, umm... me too...
Eh? Wha!?
You sneaky...
...Fine.
Why do we have to be face to face?
Hey! Stop stop stop! I said stop!
Don't walk forwards. Then I have to walk backwards. Let's walk sideways.
Hey, listen, please, just listen! I can't walk backwards!
I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I can't! I'm asking you to go sideways! No, I'm telling you to go sideways! Sideways! I'm going to fall!
Haah, we finally made it... I'm exhausted...
Right back at you. You stopped to take a break at least five times along the way.
Are you okay?
Shut up, or I'll tear the peripheral nerves out of that arm.
Shouldn't you get your friends to help?
Wait! If you're just going to stand and talk, shouldn't we put the box down first?
Ugh, it's heavy...
Haah...
Y-yes?
Yes...?
What is it? Have I done something wrong?
Who was that?
Why was she glaring at me?
I've never seen her before in my life. How rude.
Who are you fighting?
If that's what makes you happy...
Never mind happiness. You're like a junkie hypersecreting beta endorphins.
I certainly don't admire him.
Eh...?
Thanks. But I'm going to stay here a little longer.
You're so annoying! What is it!?
Who're you calling an assistant? You wouldn't pick up your phone, so I've been waiting here an hour for you.
What's this? What're you talking about?
Oh, that thing you were talking about yesterday.
Y-yes?
Yes...?
What is it? Have I done something to you?
Who was that?
Why was she glaring at me like that?
I've never seen her before in my life. How rude.
Haah, haah... why do I... have to...
What are you going to use the IBN 5100 for? Yesterday you said something about SERN.
I'm not Christina, and I'm not interested. If you don't want to tell me, then I don't really care.
War? SERN's a research institution.
...What are you trying to do? Depending on the situation, I could turn you over to the police, you know?
You can't be serious. Tell me what you're trying to do.
You're so full of yourself.
Thanks. But I'm going to stay here a little longer.
Well?
I'm asking for an explanation. What's this about the IBN 5100 and SERN?
Hey, Okabe.
I called you O-Okabe.
...I did. Problem?
Yes, I'm younger than you, but you insist on calling me by ridiculous names like Christina and Zombie, so I don't think I need to show you any respect by adding '-san', and besides--
!!
...
...God, you're so full of yourself.
No.
I'm not crying! It's not like I was scared of you for a second there or anything, and I definitely wasn't relieved when you started talking like an idiot again, okay!?
Hey, aren't you going to tell me what's going on?
Kya!
...Gee, thanks.
I've lived seven years at its birthplace, after all.
I'm a minor.
Is that all you drink?
SERN certainly is acting strange... but how's the IBN 5100 involved?
So?
Is that okay? Won't they catch you?
That's not what I meant.
The LHC?
What? Really!?
No way... Then why haven't they made an official announcement!?
I don't believe in conspiracies, but...
If you can prove what you said is real, then I might be surprised. SERN doing time travel research...
Ah, but what about the IBN 5100? How is that involved?
How do you know that?
Setting the IBN 5100 and such aside...
I want to see proof that SERN's really doing that sort of research.
...I'll wait until then.
No thanks. I'll wait. I want to know as soon as possible, even if it's just a microsecond sooner.
If what you guys are saying is true... then this isn't something to joke about.
SERN is the world's top research institution. If they're doing secret experiments without publishing their results...
They're making fools of scientists the world over.
That's only if it's true, though.
Can you show me the PhoneWave?
You haven't been able to send another email to the past yet, right?
Do you know why?
Let's run some tests.
Man. You have a ton of junk.
Future Gadgets, huh...
Hey. Isn't this... a weapon?
How confusing.
So it's junk. I thought so.
I'm borrowing this.
It's just not right without a lab coat.
Hey!
G-get what? Let go!
I don't know if that's supposed to be a compliment, but it's coming off as an insult. Now let go!
Shut up so we can start the experiment.
...So you haven't tampered with the microwave at all?
How was it set when the discharge phenomenon occurred?
Hmm.
I'll take a banana.
Oh, so I don't need your permission, then. I'll go buy new bananas tomorrow.
...Nothing happened.
Ow!
It's hot.
I guess what happened earlier was an irregularity after all.
I agree.
Wrong. If it returned to its state 120 seconds before, it wouldn't be gelified.
That logic is dubious. Sure it ended up frozen, but did you examine the possibility that it might have gelified first?
You mean nothing changed.
Is the microwave storing electricity?
You said that gelified objects became fractal structured, right?
Salt has a simple structure by nature, so maybe that had an effect. But how could electricity be related...
No. It's not good to start thinking from the conclusion.
I'm not especially concerned whether this thing is a time machine or not.
To begin with, it's physically impossible for this tiny little microwave to produce energy equivalent to the big bang.
We can't reproduce the discharge phenomenon, nor the fractalization. There should be a reason why.
We haven't changed our methods. We haven't changed the settings. We haven't changed the experimental subjects either. There must be some other variable.
What do you mean by that?
There were four of us here when the discharge phenomenon occurred last time. But before that, it occurred when Hashida-san was alone.
Each time fractalization occurred, there were either two or three people observing.
You and I each saw both phenomena.
In other words, the conditions haven't changed.
Hmmm...
...
Sh-shut up! I haven't eaten anything since lunch.
It's already 8?
...
Cup noodles.
I'll have cup noodles.
What flavors?
Chicken.
Also... do you have a fork?
No need.
I haven't seen my father in seven years. My mother is in America. I'm living in a hotel right now. Understand?
I'm not American, and there aren't any motels in the heart of Tokyo.
What do you mean? It's a normal hotel in Ochanomizu.
Sure.
Sorry?
Why do you care about my father?
You're crazy.
...
I have nothing to say to you.
...
Don't make fun...
Of people's family issues like that. You're trampling on my heart.
...
Jelly starts with J. J-E-L-L-Y.
1954.
Hmmm, the text isn't in French...
...'SERN's purpose heading into the 21st Century shall be to establish control over space and time, thereby to enable the destruction of extant history and the creation of an everlasting Utopia, ruled by the Committee, that encompasses the entirety of past and future events.'
Of course not. Stop assigning people roles in your fantasy world.
'In order to maintain this project's secrecy, and to allow its name to remain relevant in changing circumstances, we designate it the Z Program.'
'Z, like the Greek Omega or the Cyrillic Ya.'
'It is forbidden to assign any meaning to this name or to seek in it significance beyond the project itself. Negative returns are predicted should this edict be violated.'
'The Z Program is a top secret project spanning international borders. Like electromagnetic wave research, it has been approved for top priority funding by the Committee of 300.'
'Henceforth, all other research performed by SERN shall function to keep the Z Program's existence secret.'
Hmm... ah... here.
This... can't be!
'The purpose of the Z Program is to perform time-space displacement experiments by means of high-energy proton-proton collisions.'
No way... it was true?
You're telling me they've been deceiving the world for nearly 40 years?
What Organization, you chuunibyou nutjob? At least try to be serious some of the time.
The Committee of 300? I don't think they mean SERN's Executive Council. What are they talking about?
You're making things up again.
...Wow. That was quite a speech.
Since you seem to know so much about it, does that mean you're aiming for godhood too?
I'm not asking Hououin. I'm asking Okabe.
In other words, you don't have your own reason.
At least show respect when you're asking a favor...
Umm...
'Stage 1: Construction and implementation of the Large Hadron Collider.'
'Over the past half century, beginning with the Proton Synchrotron completed in 1959, particle accelerator technology has reached the point where standardized results may be obtained.'
'Stage 2: Implementation and testing of lifter technology.'
'The formation of more than two artificial localized singularities, as well as the formation of Kerr black holes, will become possible when this stage is complete.'
'In order to hide the program's true goal, it is necessary to intentionally leak misinformation regarding the formation of black holes.'
'Stage 3: Animal experimentation.'
'Stage 4...
...Human experimentation.
Eh?
Why are you suddenly--
Are you worried about me?
...I keep telling you, I'm not your assistant.
Thanks for your concern. But I'm not leaving. We need to expose this truth to the world.
You chickening out?
But still--
...
...Fine. I won't tell anyone.
But I'm not leaving. It'll keep me awake at night.
I won't.
Why Norse mythology?
Anyway, what is it with men and military terms...
'Jellyman's Report 10'
'Subject: James McCarthy, Age: 31, American'
'Z Program Stage 4, Date of Experiment: 2005-01-28 T13:05'
'Results: Error. Human is dead. Mismatch.'
'It is believed that due to infinite compression by supergravity, the subject could not endure passage through the singularity inside the Kerr black hole.'
'April 3, 1921. New York City. An unidentified man was discovered dead in an alley off Union Square. The right half of his body was embedded in a nearby wall.'
'The man's body...
...was completely gelified.'
They're experimenting on people...
And this means they've created a time machine, doesn't it? Even if it's not perfect.
This New York Times article is from 1921.
Look.
Looks like they failed to keep him alive, though.
'Jellyman's Report 9.'
'Subject: Dan Strayski, Age: 26, Canadian.'
'Z Program 4, Date of Experiment: 2004-10-30 T 14:10.'
'Results: Error. Human is dead. Mismatch.'
The newspaper clipping... I think it's in French. I can't read it.
The location is... Pau, France, I guess.
'Jellyman's Report 8.'
'Subject: Linda Hill, Age: 25, British'
'Z Program 4, Date of Experiment: 2004-2-15 T 13:45'
'Results: Error. Human is Dead. Mismatch.'
'October 2, 1972. The gelified body of a woman was discovered on the streets of Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu, India.'
'There were signs that the body had been run over by a car.'
'Jellyman's Report 7.'
'Subject: Michael Lang, Age: 33, German'
'Z Program 4, Date of Experiment: 2002-10-8 T 13:28'
'Results: Error. Human is dead. Mismatch.'
'Jellyman's Report 6.'
'Subject: Mark Hughes, Age: 30, American'
'Z Program 4, Date of Experiment: 2002-8-23 T 12:52'
'Result: Error. Human is Dead. Mismatch.'
'On July 1, 1985, a strange body washed ashore on the coast of Streymoy, Faroe Islands.'
'It appeared to be the body of an adult male, but its flesh was soft like that of a jellyfish. Some of the island's inhabitants believe that it was the body of a merman.'
'The inscription 'SERN' was found near the body's shoulder, but SERN denies any involvement.'
The sites are spread throughout the world. What can we deduce from this?
I don't think so. It's too random.
It is believed that due to infinite compression by supergravity, the subject could not endure passage through the Kerr black hole's singularity.'
That's what it said.
It's a theoretical black hole with a rotating singularity. Their existence hasn't been proven yet. Not that there's any way to prove one exists.
...
Creating Kerr black holes? That's insane. If you screw up, it could swallow the Earth... and besides, Kerr black holes are just a theoretical construct.
The gravitational forces inside a black hole are unbelievably powerful. It's certainly possible that passing through one could allow time displacement, but there's no way a human could do that and come out alive.
It wouldn't just gelify you. It would tear you apart particle from particle. That's what a black hole does.
That was pretty easy to find. SERN should have better security.
I thought he was your super hacka.
Umm... can you give me some time to read it?
No way... but this is...
Is Titor really...?
...Oh, right.
You know, this feels like one big joke.
It's almost the same. The same as Titor's theory.
Basically...
The LHC smashes protons together at 99.9999991% the speed of light.
By doing so, they compress a mass of 10⑩⑫⑬kg into an extremely tiny space of 10⑩⑪⑲m.
A small mass.
Thrust into a narrow space.
With great force.
Huh? What part of it is erot--
...
...Ah!
H-Hashida, you pervert!!
I-I'm not like you!
...ugh.
Uh, what were we talking about?
Right. Successful compression generates a micro-singularity, which--
This process generates a black hole with two micro-singularities.
Fine. Say there are two cute girls, Mic-chan and Cro-chan.
By feeding Mic-chan and Cro-chan electrons, you can make them do whatever you want.
...
So you force them to rotate at an extremely high velocity.
And then, theoretically, Mic-chan and Cro-chan transform into Magical Girl 'Ring Singularity'.
The resulting black hole exhibits what's called the Kerr effect.
Exactly what it sounds like.
The part that looks like it's spinning is just the surrounding matter being sucked into the black hole.
A black hole is just a point where extreme mass causes gravitational collapse. Everything falls towards it.
Since it's only a point, it doesn't spin.
 A Kerr black hole has a ring at its center, not a point.
Think of it like this. Once transformed into magical girls, Mic-chan and Cro-chan's hearts spin like a ring inside their bodies, which is impossible for normal people.
A black hole has what's called an event horizon.
Once you pass the event horizon, time and space switch places.
Right now, we can move freely through space and into the future, but we can't move even one minute into the past. That becomes reversed.
On the other side of the event horizon, moving freely through space becomes impossible, while moving freely through time becomes possible.
Since unrestricted spatial movement is impossible, you can never escape a black hole.
For example, if Okabe jumped into a black hole, time for him would stretch to infinity.
Since light cannot escape, human eyes cannot see the other side of the event horizon.
Observing a black hole from the outside is impossible, so nothing about the inside can be proven.
There is an exception, however. This exception is vital when you use a Kerr black hole for time travel.
The Kerr black hole's ring singularity. Since it's spinning, it has angular momentum.
Didn't I already explain how the core spins? Just think of that as having momentum.
If you keep giving Mic-chan and Cro-chan electrons, they'll rotate faster and faster.
And when their angular momentum exceeds a certain threshold, the event horizon will disappear, and the singularity will become a naked singularity.
When the event horizon disappears, there's no more reason for time and space to change places. Meaning that you can enter a naked singularity without being trapped.
And then the existence of the naked singularity allows the principle of causality to be violated and the general theory of relativity to fail.
The laws of physics are broken!
Nothing in principle stops Kerr black holes from existing. It seems inconsistent, but the math never lies.
Since the principle of causality fails, it would be possible to travel to the past by entering a naked singularity.
One thing I don't understand is how they inject electrons into the singularity.
Look. This is a picture of the LHC, but there's strange equipment installed at the proton collision site.
It looks like they call it a 'lifter', but... just what is it?
That many? I guess it's not a secret...
Ions are charged particles. The meaning matches.
Don't be ridiculous. That would be the breakthrough of the century.
It's called an ionocraft, so it probably has something to do with electrodes and charged air...
Well, under those exact conditions, I guess you might not be entirely wrong.
But it looks like SERN's having trouble adjusting their lifter.
They don't have full control over the micro singularity's gravity. So they can't make a true naked singularity.
Since the singularity is still closed, the subject is crushed by its tremendous gravity.
As a result, substances become fractalized. Let's go with that hypothesis. Of course, there's no way to be sure that it's right. It might take months to prove.
We don't have half the equipment or funding SERN does. What makes you think you can solve a problem that they can't?
This isn't that simple.
SERN still hasn't figured out how to set the subject's destination in time or space.
That should be evident by how scattered the jellyman discoveries were.
We don't even know if this is all of them. There could be jellymen buried underground or floating in space. Actually, I'm almost certain there are.
There's no point traveling through time if you end up in tens of thousands of kilometers away from the Earth. It's not practical at all.
Titor's explanation on that point was vague.
He mentioned having such a device, but he didn't explain how it worked.
Of course not.
Right. Rotation and revolution.
The Earth's rotational velocity is about 1,650 kilometers per hour.
Its orbital velocity around the sun is about 114,000 kilometers per hour.
Meaning one hour ago, we were that far away from where we are now.
And that's not all.
The Solar System is part of the Milky Way. And the Milky Way spins like a giant whirlpool.
There are various theories, but basically the earth moves about 50 million kilometers a day.
By the way, the Milky Way is part of a large cluster of galaxies, which is itself part of an even larger supercluster.
And these clusters and superclusters might be moving too. If that's the case, we're moving even more than 50 million kilometers a day.
The point is that setting the destination would require insane calculations, even if you only want to travel one second into the past.
Doing it by hand is impossible, and it might take years for a supercomputer to come up with a solution, just to get you to the same location.
Great idea. Go for it.
I wonder how SERN is dealing with this problem...
Okabe.
Thanks.
Do you even have a round table?
Yes, you're mistaken. Don't go sticking things in people's hearts.
I'm only a temporary lab mem anyway.
I agree.
What SERN is doing is unforgivable. They're traitors to humanity, to society, and to science.
Norse mythology again?
I don't remember being ordered, but whatever.
There are two problems SERN faces with time travel.
First is the the electron injection device, also known as a 'lifter'.
Unless they get it to function properly, they can't make the Kerr black hole singularites naked.
If you send a test subject through the singularity in its current state, the supergravity compresses them to the micro level. Naturally, there's no way to survive.
The second problem is that they can't specify a physical destination. They can't choose where they end up after traveling to the past.
That's why I'd say the 14 found jellymen were the lucky ones.
Over a hundred human experiments have been performed since 2001. The remaining 80 or so people ended up somewhere they can't be found.
SERN has been looking for solutions, but it's not going well.
Hmm...
Well, I suppose you could call the LHC the world's largest microwave oven.
You might be on to something there.
However, there are too many things we don't know about the PhoneWave. Why do the same phenomena that occur in SERN's time machine also occur in that tiny little microwave?
Unlike the LHC, this thing wasn't made for time travel.
W-well, yeah.
But we still haven't figured out the electric discharge phenomenon, or the conditions required to cause it.
We don't know the cause of the discharge phenomenon.
In the first place, the emails we're sending to the past are digital data, not physical objects. That's a definite difference from SERN's time machine.
Well... I suppose that's true.
I've got a bad feeling about this.
You just want to give it some oddball name, don't you?
Confusing. Rejected.
Then why don't we take a vote? All in favor of Nostalgia Drive.
I think it needs to be something easy to understand. It's an email that regresses through time, so how about Retromail?
B-but that's because Mayuri-san is...
Uh, n-never mind...
N-no!
I don't! I promise I don't! Okay?
Besides, I think the meaning is a little off.
Hey. We don't have time for this nonsense. Let's just abbreviate it to 'D-Mail' and move on.
It don't care if it's boring.
We don't know if there's actually a black hole at work here. It could be an entirely different phenomenon that just happens to resemble SERN's experiments.
It's dangerous to jump to conclusions.
What, did you read that off a motivational poster? You're like the classic incompetent boss.
I don't know what you mean by symbol, but how do you plan to turn the PhoneWave into a time machine? Let's have details.
Which is?
...ah.
Let's try it right now!
Sorry, Mayuri-san. I'll go buy you some new bananas later.
First, let's see if it'll become a jellyman.
Agh!
It was an accident!
Put the microwave somewhere else! It's dangerous and hard to reach like this.
Thanks, Mayuri-san.
Ah!
W-way to go, Okabe. It was so simple, I didn't notice it.
Anyway, let's see if we can send another D-Mail.
Help me, you two! Okabe, I'm sending an email to your phone.
It doesn't matter what it says. What matters is whether we can send it or not.
You'll see. Ready? I'm sending it.
Kya!
...Did it arrive?
Pfft...
Eh? No. I only sent one.
You're right... I even sent it in one sentence, but it got divided.
Why don't you look it up?
I wonder what's causing it.
Good point. Didn't the last one also arrive five days before we sent it?
He's at it again...
So I guess your job is opening the microwave.
Uh, I was just kidding.
Don't need one. Let's start.
Go ahead and rest. I'm gonna have a go at it a little longer.
I sent you an email. Didn't you get it?
But I gave you five days advance notice.
Well, at least we got some good data.
I'm dead tired, and my hair's dried out. I want to take a shower and go sleep.
It's probably filthy...
Anyway, I refuse to use the same shower as Okabe.
That's why I'm going back to my hotel once I finish eating.
Not a chance.
You can come any time, Mayuri-san.
Same. I didn't give it a second thought.
No objections.
The experiments have been fruitful.
At the very least, we've learned what we can do with D-Mail.
That about sums it up. Anything to add?
Observation isn't enough. We need to find the underlying principle. What I've written here is nothing but verified phenomena.
Uh, it's Kerr black hole.
Kerr black hole.
The hole is tight... huh. That might not be entirely wrong.
Maybe we have the same problem SERN has with their time machine. Since they can't fully control the lifter, they can't make the singularities perfectly naked, which limits how much they can send.
Bytes? Not kilobytes?
Sh-shut up! You don't see things measured in bytes nowadays, so I was just making sure...
So larger masses get crushed by supergravity?
In any case, since the singularity isn't naked, the object is forced to pass through the event horizon.
Inside the event horizon, space and time switch places, causing the subject that arrived at the ring singularity to reach ultra high speed...
The data, crushed and destroyed by super gravity, is shot out of the black hole...
But even a small mass has to pass through supergravity. How does it emerge unscathed?
I don't think it's that simple. I mean, I'm sure SERN's tried that already. And yet they haven't gotten any results after nine years of experiments.
It's not as simple as increasing the flow of electrons.
SERN has a lifter, but we don't know what in the PhoneWave is filling the same role, much less how to adjust it.
D-demon Lord...?
It is?
But it's still a hypothesis. It hasn't been proven.
If Okabe and Hashida-san volunteer as test subjects, I'll happily experiment on you.
Idiots.
As I keep saying, the real problem is what the PhoneWave uses as a lifter.
Even SERN has failed to send humans through. If you believe what Titor says, it won't be another, what, 24 years before there's a true time machine?
We should investigate the PhoneWave further. We need to understand what's going on.
And you can't even say we developed it. It happened by accident.
I guess...
It's just that I have⑰ to admit it for now. If we investigate how the PhoneWave works, it might turn out to be something that only seems⑰ like time travel.
Who cares what kind of table it is?
I'm gonna go back to my hotel, take a shower, and sleep.
Then lets resume the experiments.
That doesn't settle anything. Why you're so confident is a mystery to me.
No!
Besides, I don't think a wimp like you stands a chance against him.
What, is she still tinkering with that bike of hers?
She was there when I came in, glaring at me.
It's not a junk shop. It's a CRT specialty shop.
That doesn't solve the problem, you know.
The name doesn't matter. Let's just start the experi--
Hardly. I'm fed up with these people and their fooling around.
Who are you calling a tsundere!?
...N-no.
Mmmgh...
Yesterday was the 66th. Where'd the other six go?
Like I keep saying, I'm neither your assistant nor Christina.
Now hold on! It's too dangerous! Are you trying to play god!?
Let's say you create a time paradox and blow up the world. What do you plan to do then?
You're going to change the past so recklessly? Are you kidding me?
Don't tell me... you're not seriously trying to bring chaos to the world or whatever, are you?
R-really?
Did you just come up with that?
YES.
Have you heard of the Butterfly Effect?
Eh? No, it's kinda like that, but kinda not...
Yeah, that. Part of Chaos Theory.
Basically, any change, no matter how small, could have a significant effect on the future.
How do you plan to take responsibility for that?
And that makes it okay to change the past? You're going to believe that self-proclaimed time traveler's delusions?
I'm asking what you're going to do if they are. How are you going to deal with the consequences?
No, I'm not.
We don't even have a hypothesis for how the PhoneWave works.
We're just fumbling around in the dark here. There are still too many risks to try changing the past.
We should wait until we know more.
W-well...
Oh shut up...
So you want to stoop to the same level as the guys that did those inhumane experiments?
And here I thought you had ambition.
But your primary goal is the money, isn't it?
See? Just like I thought.
No, Mayuri-san! Don't let him tempt you!
S-se...? Serendipity?
What the hell is that supposed to mean!?
...
What do you think, Moeka-san?
Um...?
Um...
Let's try changing the hotel I'm staying at.
Do you have to say it like that?
One more word out of you and I excise your frontal lobe with a rusty scalpel.
...
No, first we need a winning number.
Don't call me Celeb Seventeen.
If someone sent me the winning numbers from the future, would I believe it?
That's okay. I don't think teenage girls buy lottery tickets.
That is⑰ an awful lot of money... hahaha...
What?
That's stupid.
Celeb... Sev? Don't abbreviate it.
And all of the money, right? I see your plan.
You're such a chicken.
I'm begging you, stop calling me that. I'll settle for assistant.
And don't misunderstand. I'm still worried about what could go wrong.
...No, you.
Thursday last week... so about five days. Is that okay?
We'll send it to one week ago. 7 days is 168 hours, so let's round up a bit and enter 170#.
It's been bugging me, but what is that Steins Gate thing?
That doesn't explain anything.
Stop it, perv.
Don't call me Celeb Sev! And 3rd place of what?
Wh-what?
Got a problem? I asked what, and then you just--
What?
By stage two, you mean an experiment to see if we can change the past, right?
I think we all know what you mean.
What's wrong with you, Okabe? You're acting weird.
Don't tell me... you sent the winning numbers with the PhoneWave?
I did? What are you talking about?
You're even more of a perv than Okabe! I'm not using '-san' for you any more!
What does that even mean!?
Is there a problem?
Nothing. I just wanted to think for a bit.
What? You're kicking me out?
You're the lonely one, aren't you? You've been acting gloomy all day.
Do you need some advice? I'm an outsider, in a sense, so it should be easier to talk to me, right?
A man getting advice from a younger woman is kind of *mumble mumble*, but if you're fine with that, then just ask away.
Of all your stupid names, that one's the worst.
Sure.
What's wrong with you? Stop fidgeting.
That was a pretty heavy sigh.
Shouldn't you answer your phone first?
You're really self-righteous, you know.
...
...I haven't known you long enough to tell whether you're serious.
The past changed, so the present changed with it? The Butterfly Effect, huh. But what you're saying is nonsense.
Why do you remember that the past changed?
If you used a time machine to physically travel to the past and change history, then that might explain it -- barely.
So if the present changed, and we changed with it, you would have to change too.
Or are you saying you didn't change because you're the observer? In that case, you're claiming that you're not a human being⑰.
Aaaand he's at it again.
I'm not playing along with your games. I bet you came up with that Reading Whatever thing just now, didn't you?
Okabe. You're grinning.
Don't call me Celeb Sev!
You look like a girl in love waiting for an email from her boyfriend.
Just getting revenge. You're always making fun of me, so I deserve at least this much.
That's rich. You don't even say my name right.
Well, that's unexpected... You actually apologized.
I'm gonna crack your skull open and stick electrodes in your hippocampus.
Who are you talking to?
Huh? No way.
No wonder you keep referencing Titor's posts. You believe him, don't you?
Really? I can't see it as anything but fiction.
D-don't just start laughing like that. It's creepy.
Sounds to me like you've got a bad case of chuunibyou.
Eh...?
...
Beats me. A few hours ago, he was exchanging emails with John Titor, and then he suddenly got quiet.
And then he started ranting. He's been like this for half an hour.
Agreed.
The PhoneWave doesn't work at night, remember?
...
I'm going back to my hotel. Show me your report on today's experiment tomorrow.
Hey! What's your problem!?
You, of course. This is your operation.
And if we could get a report from the subject too, that would be even better.
Did you forget what I said this afternoon? I'm against it.
In your dreams, maybe.
If you're going to correct yourself, at least get it right.
So why do you think you're the only one who remembers?
I don't follow.
Cut the jokes. I'm serious here.
Hmmm...
No.
I'm not sending one.
That's not it.
Well, there's that, but it's more like a personal policy.
Changing the past feels like cheating.
I may only have 18 years of life experience, but I don't want to change any of those memories.
That's not what I said...
I don't want to deny who I've been. Because even my failures are a part of who I am today.
I wouldn't.
S-something wrong with that?
Why you--
I don't get it.
Of course I remember. What are you...
Oh, I see. According to your hypothesis, you and I shouldn't remember sending the D-Mail.
...Maybe the past hasn't changed?
I guess that means the past hasn't changed.
Maybe your foolproof plan wasn't so foolproof. Like, maybe it only gave you a slight advantage.
Since Faris-san defeated you anyway, the past didn't change.
Like Okabe said, you need to make a change that's easier to observe. Or else there's no point to this experiment.
Um, n-not that I approve of this experiment or anything.
You really want to win that badly?
...
...Out of time?
After I left yesterday, I was thinking. How exactly does the PhoneWave make time travel possible?
If every microwave could turn into the LHC, then Japan would have black holes popping up everywhere.
I know it looks like SERN is able to create Kerr black holes willy-nilly, but that's not supposed to be possible.
You can't just press a button and make a black hole. Even if you could, the risks would be unthinkable.
It's ridiculous to suggest that a household microwave could generate a black hole.
My point it that there has to be something else going on here.
Some outside source must be injecting electrons into this microwave.
Well, I'm going back to my hotel. I've had enough of this filthy man cave.
See you tomorrow. Don't forget to write that report.
Good morning.
Nothing much. I told her if she wanted to say something, she should just say it.
Nothing. She just groaned. I wonder what's wrong with her.
If she wants my lab mem number, she can have it.
It's not exactly a counterfeit passport. Also, shut up.
I don't think that's enough to convince her to--
Eh...?
What happens if you don't finish it?
Oh... of course. Ahaha...
So one second isn't enough for the discharge to occur. That's what I expected, but it's good to have proof.
Warming it up?
Any basis for that?
She remembers!?
What's going on?
Hmmm, I see.
I understand how you feel, but since this is an experiment, data collection should take priority.
I-I'm not agreeing⑰ with you, exactly. If we don't collect data, then we'll never figure out how the PhoneWave works.
Even if you want to send something private, you shouldn't for now. We still don't know how this thing handles paradoxes, so we need to be extremely careful.
Nothing you want to keep secret, at least. Even if you mean well, the mail's content might have a serious effect on the timeline.
You should show your mail to a third party and have them check if the content is problematic or not.
...I wasn't speaking for you. Don't misunderstand.
Experiments prioritize data over privacy in the first place. If you're going to be a test subject, you need to be prepared for that.
You don't have to apologize. I'm not criticizing you. It's just how these things work.
Cut the chatter and get started.
He's just talk.
Shining what?
Never heard of her.
Did it happen again, Okabe?
Something like this happened yesterday. You remembered something we didn't. Uh, what did you call it?
Oh yeah, Reading Steiner.
I don't remember doing any experiments today.
You sent a D-Mail just now, didn't you?
...I don't know. No one has experienced a time paradox, after all.
All I said was that that was one theory.
Maybe nothing happens, and like in a certain movie, history gets amended to accommodate the paradox.
According to Dr. Hawking's chronology protection conjecture, it's impossible to do anything that might cause a time paradox in the first place.
Explain what happened, Okabe.
Hmmm.
...Honestly, I'm not surprised she disappeared from the lab.
I don't know the details, but when the past changed, Kiryu-san's actions these past four days changed ever so slightly.
As a result, the timeline was reconfigured so that Moeka-san didn't come to the lab today.
I don't know. If the fact that the D-Mail was sent is undone, then it becomes a paradox of who sent that D-Mail...
And there's one other thing that I don't understand.
What you call Reading Steiner.
By the way, you should quit it with that name. It's stupid.
By your explanation, you neither sent nor received the D-Mail. Yet how come you're the only one who remembers what happened before the worldline changed?
What if it's all in your head?
Maybe this Kiryu-san never existed. Or maybe Kiryu-san does exist, but the fact that she sent a D-Mail was something you made--
...eh?
Y-yeah...
W-what? That was just an act, right?
Fine, I get it. You're a chuunibyou patient.
Ah...
Wh-why are you all staring at me? Don't look at me!
Do you always stay the night here?
I think you're putting too much emphasis on appearances.
Y-you would?
Sure, if the guys aren't around.
Then why don't you come to my hotel, Mayuri-san?
You can come whenever you like. See you tomorrow.
Can you stop that vulgar laughter? I can hear you from outside. It's embarrassing.
I'm not your assistant. Don't make me repeat myself.
Anyway! You're the worst, toying with such a weak and innocent girl. Aren't you ashamed of yourself?
Don't react to every little thing, you perv.
At any rate...
I-I wasn't doing that!
Is this that cosplay thing I've heard about? It's part of Japanimation culture, right?
You're very cute.
Why are you crying? You look perfect, so you should be more confident.
That's one hell of an acrobatic topic change.
Well yeah, no wish is embarrassing compared to the idiotic wish for chaos to envelop the world or whatever.
...What?
Wait. Wait a second.
Umm, what did she say?
I'm not your assistant, and I'm not Christina!
I have?
Wh-what do you mean?
Is that some kind of joke?
...Are you guys trolling me?
...Eh?
Is what Okabe says true?
N-no way! Someone this cute can't be a boy!
That's not what I meant.
I admit it. Compared to her... I mean, to him, I'm not as cute, I talk more rudely, and my attitude is worse...
This is a three-day-coma level shock.
Don't try to comfort me. It just makes me feel worse.
Who the hell asked you?
Shut up. I don't want to hear that from you.
Don't try to sneak in a photo session, you perv!
S-So cute...
This reminds me of something I heard once.
There's a saying that if you eat a lot of meat when you're pregnant, you'll have a boy, and if you eat a lot of vegetables, you'll have a girl.
I saw it on the internet.
Wh-what are you talking about?
I never said it was true.
I just remembered hearing it somewhere. Don't snap at every little thing.
...What are you implying?
Wait... of course.
We can send a D-Mail to Urushibara-san's mother when she was pregnant.
Well...
Who are you calling an experiment-loving girl!?
N-no, but...
Here.
I want to give Urushibara-san my number so I can retire.
...*sigh*
Ah...
What the hell are crazy waves?
I'll microwave your brain if you don't shut up.
That would go to the future, not the past.
There's no point to the experiment if we don't use D-Mail. Don't lose sight of the objective.
M-me? I...
We could... build a rocket which exceeds the speed of light squared, then that immense speed would reverse the flow of time, or something...
It was just a joke. Don't take it seriously.
Fine then. Let's hear from Hououin Kyouma, the insane mad scientist with an IQ over 170 whose brain cells are coveted the world over. What's your genius plan?
Now we can proceed with the experiment.
Urushibara-san, you need to think about what to send to your mother in the past.
That's a little too direct. And it's over the character limit.
Isn't that a little too informal? You're talking to Urushibara-san's mother, you know? Would she understand the 'VEG 4' part?
What pervy act are you thinking about this time? Can't be too careful around the perv duo.
Whatever. Seriously, whatever.
What? You called me all the way to Japan, and now you--
...I knew it. You never wanted to see me, did you?
...sniff.
Why did you ask me to come here, then? Can you at least tell me tha--
...
I... I...
I wasn't crying or anything, okay!?
Don't be ridiculous! Where's your proof!?
Ugh...
I wasn't crying, okay!?
Anyway, I wasn't crying. Understand? End of discussion. Sniff.
...
Shut up. Don't talk to me.
...Eh?
Why...
Ah... yeah...
...I'm sorry. I was a little upset.
...Okay.
Yeah...
It's the middle of summer, but instead of going on vacation, I'm stuck in this sauna with a bunch of pervs.
Where did I go wrong?
I'm not crying!
Besides, you're the one who told us to be here.
Eh, wha...!?
How can this girl say something like that while eating a nugget...
Please unget it.
Th-thanks...
Don't put that there. It's filthy.
Like I care. What kind of guy puts his underwear in a girl's face? Have some decency.
Wh-wha...!
I'm not interested at all!
It's not like we can do anything about that. After all, the result is up to whoever receives the mail.
Of course, if you can analyze the recipient's psychology, then you might be able to manipulate them into doing what you want.
Though that might be a bit too much for Hououin Underwear here.
If you want a Round Table Conference that much, at least go buy a round table.
Mayuri-san, you're really innocent. But you shouldn't take everything Okabe says seriously.
Don't be ridiculous.
SERN has the best equipment in the world, and even after nine years, they still haven't succeeded.
We can't possibly hope to accomplish something like that.
This isn't a laughing matter...
Such baseless confidence. Anyway, wasn't it just a coincidence that we discovered D-Mail?
We still haven't figured out what's functioning as the lifter.
It's futile.
How do you solve a problem that even SERN can't figure out?
If you can't set the destination, then you don't know where you'll leap to.
Now that you mention it...
Is it? I don't think a phone signal can be received from millions of kilometers away.
You shouldn't speculate like that. You have zero basis.
No wormholes have ever been confirmed to exist.
If you want to become GelOkarin, I'm not stopping you.
It would be best to leave physical transfer aside for now. Sending data through time is an amazing feat by itself. We should be satisfied with what we've got.
I'm telling you to know your limits.
If you're going to uncover the secrets of the universe, you need personnel, equipment, and funding to rival SERN's.
It's one thing to set lofty goals, but this impoverished lab has no resources to speak of.
I've been thinking. Maybe we should bring the PhoneWave to a proper research institution and entrust it to a specialist.
SERN's keeping their time machine research top secret, so if we make an official announcement, it'll benefit the future of mankind.
Oh come on! I'm being serious here. This isn't the time for your childish--
...You watch too many movies.
Yeah, but...
Why you...
This guy's hopeless. Better do something quick.
Ah...
Shut up! I'm not, okay!?
Can you stop talking like that? It's pretentious and annoying as hell.
I just hope it doesn't take ten years...
It was sarcasm, get it? Sarcasm.
Didn't you hear me the first time!?
I've been working on the translation when I have time, but so far I haven't seen anything new about time travel.
It looks like SERN is still struggling to find a solution.
What? No way.
It's not amazing. It's downright outrageous!
Super Hacka, what a monster!
Ugh... d-doing what?
First I've heard of it.
You sure you weren't hallucinating? It's hot these days.
Calm down.
Tell us what happened. You don't have to be precise. Just say whatever comes to mind. We can work it out later.
Hmmm...
The IBN 5100 may have disappeared as a result of changes someone made to the past.
But from my perspective, all of the D-Mails we sent so far were trivial.
And during the preliminary D-Mail experiments, I sent dozens to Okabe's phone. But they were all insubstantial, so I don't think they could've changed the past.
There was one more. The first mail Okabe accidentally sent that said I was dead.
But nobody aside from Okabe remembers him sending it.
Oh, right. That's what you claim, but Hashida, Mayuri-san, and I don't remember either of those.
So according to your perspective, when did the IBN 5100 disappear? Did it just happen? When's the last time you remember seeing it in the lab?
Are you certain?
Or it could all just be in your head. No need to panic.
Nya, nyan...?
Hallo.
...
Hallo.
Oh, it's Okabe. I was sure it was a prank call.
You were talking crazy, so I got scared and hung up.
Hallo.
Well why didn't you say so?
Hmm... you're going to use the PhoneWave? I don't want to anger the guy downstairs, though.
You're really irresponsible, you know that?
...Well? What should I set it to?
Okay, it's ready.
Hey, Okabe. How long are you gonna make me wait?
Okabe? If you're not gonna send anything, I'm hanging up.
The discharge is starting.
I'm okay.
Khmmkhmmkhmm!
I can't go. I have to go back to America soon, and I haven't even started packing yet.
...
Fine, I'll be blunt. There's no way I'm swimming with two perverts like you!
If it's just the girl members, I'll happily go.
I don't have a Mongolian Spot!
What's that supposed to mean?
You're the worst. Where do you get off calling her a guy?
Okabe!
If you want to give me stupid nicknames, that's fine -- I mean, it's not, but...
What you said just now is below the belt.
I didn't take you for the the kind of guy who thinks it's funny to hurt people's feelings, but I guess I was wrong. You're a real jerk, Okabe.
Apologize. Apologize to Urushibara-san right now.
You're the one denying reality!
Cut it out already, Okabe! She's a girl!
You...
That's what we've been saying!
I want to vivisect your skull and remove your brain for a good washing.
Then I'll submerge it in culture fluid so you can never do anything like that again!
Anyway, just be thankful I haven't reported you to the police.
Anyway, what in the hell made you think that Urushibara-san was a boy?
Want some more?
Sit down before I hit you again.
You're Japanese too.
And I told you that that name was stupid, remember?
It's Engrish, like something from a kid's manga.
Not to mention it's a grammatical mess, and there's also the fact that it's half German, so no consistency there either. It's stupid.
The same goes for that 'Steins Gate' thing you're always talking about.
Show a little remorse, huh?
And what are you going to do?
Don't you dare. Let her be alone with her father.
Get over yourself.
You just don't have standards, that's all.
Nice?
No! Get it through your thick skull!
Don't even think about running off somewhere.
Anyway...
I hope Amane-san finds her father.
That would be... nice.
Hey, Okabe...
I'm sorry about before.
When I hit you with my book. I thought you were just being a pervert.
But when I thought about it later, I realized that you were being completely serious.
But I acted on impulse, without even considering what you had to say.
Just to make sure, you're not a perverted scumbag, are you?
I just don't want to you to use science as an excuse to be a pervert. Not while I'm helping, at least.
Okabe...
Pff...
That has to be the cheesiest thing you've ever said.
Still, it's nice to hear.
The research institute I work at in America is full of talented people from all over the world... but it's not a friendly place.
Everyone thinks he or she is the best. You think you⑰ have an ego? Over there, scientists hurl insults at each other on a daily basis. Sometimes they even sabotage each other's work.
When my thesis was chosen to represent the lab, many of the older men complained.
And when I came back here as a kind of reverse exchange student, my classmates were all too afraid to talk to me.
Compared to that, your lab is childish... but comfortable.
You're really concerned about Amane-san, aren't you? That part of you, I can respect.
B-but I'm not praising you, okay?
I just... you know... thought you should know...
Eh?
Okabe...
I, um... think of you as a friend too.
You said I was your friend, remember? You said I was important to you.
That made me really... happy, I guess.
No!
What the hell!? Here I am trying to find something decent about you, and you... I don't care anymore, stupid!
You're really... stupid.
Huh? Over there, isn't that...
You've been tricked.
Time machine meet? What's that?
Smell what?
I'll help too.
Hm. Should I use the PhoneWave?
We took the door off. It should be fine, right?
...
Tell us what happened.
His brain is probably oxygen-starved from too much running.
You're going to send a D-Mail?
Okabe.
I figured it out.
I think I know how the PhoneWave works.
Keep in mind that this is just a hypothesis based on what we've observed.
It's closely related to what you guys were just talking about -- the LHC.
Yes. Exactly. My hunch was right.
You've created a monster, Okabe.
It doesn't belong in some amateur lab. And before you take that as an endorsement of your abilities, I mean it in a bad way.
Did you know that the microwave oven was invented as a byproduct of radar research?
Microwaves are electromagnetic waves with a frequency of 2.45 gigahertz. The PhoneWave is commercial grade, so its output is around 1500-2000 watts.
Here's the important part.
Both devices use electromagnetic waves. I'm not a specialist, though, so I can't examine the extent or magnitude of the influence that fusion has...
But hypothetically, if the cellphone were to become a stepping stone, scattering the military-grade electromagnetic waves over a vast range of hundreds of kilometers--
Then not just Akihabara, but all of Tokyo would turn into the inside of a microwave oven.
Taking into account slight variance due to body weight, the average time until death for the people inside would be--
Three minutes.
Let me tell you what happens inside the PhoneWave.
The air inside the oven is full of invisible hydrogen atoms. First, it bombards the atoms with microwaves to increase their energy potential. This is the normal function of a microwave oven.
But when you add the electromagnetic waves from the phone...
The harmonics trigger a chain reaction. The particles collide repeatedly at near light-speed, gaining mass and energy each time.
In other words, it becomes a sort of particle accelerator.
It's a miracle that thing has been so stable.
But there's still one thing I don't understand.
Even if it does produce mini black holes, they should evaporate instantly.
But that's not what happens in the PhoneWave. The gelification phenomenon proves that.
Just like in the LHC, our mini black holes are turning into Kerr black holes.
Where do the injected electrons come from? That's what I don't understand.
The LHC uses something called a lifter to inject electrons into the black hole and control the gravitational field.
Something is filling that role inside the PhoneWave.
Like I said, I don't know what.
It's the name of an elementary particle.
Two problems. One, setting the destination. Two, the lifter.
...It's dangerous to accept that without verification.
I don't think we're going to find it. The PhoneWave's not exactly big, you know, and we've been poking at it for days without turning up a clue.
Even if we do find it, it'll take forever to learn how to tune the electron feed properly.
SERN's been working on it for nine years and they still haven't solved it.
Of course... If it works, then maybe...
Maybe we can do it!
The data compression part, at least, is easy.
We can just use the black holes created by the LHC, since black holes compress everything they swallow.
Compression won't harm data like it would harm a human. As long as we're just sending data, there's nothing to worry about.
You know that my thesis got published, right?
Have you read it?
The title of my thesis is...
'Analysis of Memory-Related Nerve Impulses in the Temporal Lobe'
I'm a neuroscientist. Got a problem?
Converting an entire human to data is impossible.
But converting a human's memories⑰ may be possible!
Imagine a chest of drawers. Each drawer is filled with tiny boxes, and inside each box is another bunch of tiny boxes. You keep opening boxes until you find the memory you're looking for.
Now, before you ask how this relates to time travel, there's one more thing I need to explain.
Several years ago, my lab -- the Neurophysiology Lab at Victor Condoria University -- developed a technology called Visual Rebuilding, or VR for short.
Put simply, it enables conversion of video data into nerve impulse signals.
Used in reverse, it can also convert nerve impulses into video data, or any other kind of electronic data.
So, if we combine VR technology with my research... do you see where I'm going?
Not just that. Memory transplantation, backups, external storage... all of those things become possible.
We can send our memories back in time.
In order to differentiate it from physical time travel, let's call it a 'time leap' for now.
You don't go back, just your memories.
It's so crazy that nobody's thought of it before.
The important thing to remember is that only memories are being transferred.
Personality and consciousness aren't included.
Time leaping in sci-fi usually sends everything -- consciousness, personality, and memory.
But in real life, there's probably too much data, and besides, we only analyzed memories.
Think of consciousness, personality, and memory as separate things.
Memories are like the video data stored on your computer.
And consciousness and personality are like the OS.
It's just an example.
For starters, it's still not clear where personality and consciousness are located, or how they are constructed.
So we can't convert them into data. Or at least, I can't.
Your memories aren't the only thing that define you. Even if you send your memories to the past, it will be the receiving you's consciousness and personality that process them.
Data created with the latest OS might not work on an older OS. It might cause errors.
For example, if you sent your current memories to yourself in elementary school, the gap between your memories and your body could have serious consequences.
Just like with D-Mail, we're using cellphones as the transfer medium.
To be precise, you can only leap into your own body, and only if you had a cellphone at the time of reception.
If you try sending memories to someone else... umm, how do I put this...  there's a danger that the electrical signals might be rejected.
Don't 'uhehe' me, you idiot!
If it just bounces off, that's fine, but I'm worried incompatible memory data might do serious damage to the recipient's psyche.
I don't know what might happen. No one's done it before, after all.
There are two things I do know. One, you definitely cannot go back before you were born; and two, you won't exist in two places at once.
That means you don't have to worry about causing a paradox. You can't kill your parents before you were born.
First, explain what that is!
Well, this is⑰ Akihabara. I should be able to find the parts I need.
Thinking about the time leap machine.
I know we can make it, but I'm wondering what will happen if we actually use it.
You're so pompous.
...
Hey, Okabe...
Can I talk to you about something completely unrelated?
You told me before that I could ask you anything. Remember?
I think... my father hates me.
Heh... you really are pompous.
...Yeah.
I don't remember the last time he had a kind word for me.
Even when we were living together, before I went to America, he acted like I wasn't there. We're supposed to be family, aren't we?
I was daddy's little girl growing up. You practically had to drag me away from him.
My father's a physicist. Even as a child, I loved to hear him talk about science. I couldn't understand a word of it, but I always begged him to explain.
I wanted to understand his work, so I started studying physics. I must have been five.
Thanks to that, I always got perfect grades in math. I ignored all the other subjects, though, so my grades were a little skewed.
I even read my father's papers. I was a little girl trying to comprehend theoretical physics, but I gave it everything I had. I needed⑰ to understand.
By sixth grade, I had learned enough that I could discuss my father's theories with him.
I was so happy that I could talk to my father on his level, you know? We used to argue all night long.
And then I started winning those arguments. All of them.
You really think that's why?
I guess he did have a lot of pride.
Anyway, one day, he suddenly stopped talking to me altogether.
Then he started fighting with my mom, and finally he stopped coming home.
I really loved my dad, so it was a big shock. I felt it was my fault things turned out that way. I couldn't go to school, I was so depressed.
And then Mom recommended I study abroad.
I don't know...
No... he doesn't want to see me.
That's what we were talking about on the phone. I asked if we could meet, but he told me to stay away from him.
Even if we did meet, I wouldn't know what to say...
I tried to talk to him before I left, you know? I tried so hard, but he just ignored me.
It hurts. Whenever I think about going to see him, I remember those times. I worry he'll ignore me again, and then I can't do anything.
Sniff...
J-just a little, okay?
I don't know...
True...
I think that's a little out of character for me.
I'm not acting like a little girl!
And how long will that take?
Umm... seven years.
I... guess you're right.
...Huh?
Wha-wha-wha-what are you talking about!?
Hold on a second! Don't tell me you plan on coming along!?
...
Ok, you've had your fun. I'm in no mood for--
...
Okabe...
Yeah...
...pfft!
You couldn't hold a normal conversation if your life depended on it.
But... thanks anyway. I definitely didn't expect you to offer to come...
N-not that I'm happy about it or anything!
I hate how you act like a nice guy sometimes! It's confusing!
Um, Okabe? That offer... I can take you up on it, right?
Then, once we're done upgrading the PhoneWave...
I want you to come with me.
Aomori.
That's where he lives now.
What? You're not going to back out, are you? You already promised. I'm taking you whether you like it or not, okay!?
Ah...
H-hey! Think you could knock!?
Assassins? Here? Are you stupid?
I was... doing research!
S-stay back!
...
G-got a problem?
Hey! What's with that 'this is awful, rofl rofl' laughter!?
Don't call me that!
How rude! I make sure to apply light perfume every day!
My soul? What's that supposed to mean? Explain.
Sh-shut up! Just explain already.
...Feels bad, man.
Ugh...
That's it! It's all Hashida's fault!
DON'T CALL ME THAT.
You can browse @channel from America. Need I say more?
Sure, it's not the friendliest place, but I couldn't find anywhere that felt more 'Japanese'.
Anyway, can I ask a favor?
Don't tell anyone else about this.
Not a chance, you idiot!
Gh, I hate myself for understanding those words!
You don't have to worry about me. Remember that I represented my entire laboratory when we presented our research, even though there were men twice my age on the project.
I'm an expert at dealing with people. I'll have no trouble keeping it a secret.
Gah!
No...!
Reported.
What would you do if I called the cops on you?
Yeah, yeah, chuunibyou, whatever.
Wait, so I have to stay too?
I guess... but I don't relish the thought of spending the night here. At least, not with a certain somebody around.
This stimulation system of yours... I assume it's been dumping toxic waste in your brain?
This... air freshener?
I'm starting to think even you don't believe the stuff you say.
And besides, this air freshener is empty.
Well, whatever. I was planning to stay either way. I'll join you, Mayuri-san.
On one condition. Okabe leaves.
We girls are staying here overnight, so you filthy boys need to show respect. Your home isn't even far from here, right?
Why, that's less than 30 minutes by train. Anyway, I'm not going to need your help tonight, so just go home like a good boy, okay?
What? Are you planning to molest us!?
I don't have a Mongolian Spot! And when did you see my butt, anyway!?
I'm pretty sure that makes you a minor just like us.
But he took you hostage, didn't he?
We should kick him out of the room.
NO!
Kyaaa! What are you doing!?
Get out, you perv!
You're gonna regret this! I'll never forgive you!
For the final adjustments, we need to use the PhoneWave.
Take care of it.
Your sacrifice will allow us to complete the time leap machine.
I can't. That girl who works there hates me.
Looks like you really are unkillable.
I don't think so.
How could you miss something so obvious?
...I'm not blaming you. I'm just disappointed that nobody, including myself, noticed.
The discharge was interrupted.
I put a banana in just to be sure. Nothing happened.
We've found the answer.
The electrons emitted by the 42-inch CRT are holding the PhoneWave's black hole open.
And the discharge phenomenon is the result.
It's not about having a strong electron stream. If stronger were better, SERN would've solved the lifter problem long ago.
Somehow, the conditions here were perfect to create a time machine. Frankly, it's a miracle.
Whatever it is, it worked.
Now that we've found the cause, there's nothing left to hold us back.
We can safely conclude that time leaping is possible when, and only when, that television is on.
You're right. Okabe.
Go downstairs and turn that TV back on.
Whatever. Just go already.
If anyone can do it, it's you. You made an amazing discovery just now, didn't you?
No.
Oh, whoops. I was supposed to flatter him so he'd feel like going, right?
Yes, you're an amazing mad scientist.
Anyway, now that we've found the lifter, the time leap machine is 99% complete.
It's your dream, isn't it? To invent a time machine.
Okabe.
I wasn't asking Hououin Kyouma. I was asking Okabe.
...
Stop it already, perv.
You win, Mayuri. Congratulations.
Actually, I'm just about finished too.
Done.
We may have created a monster here...
You guys have too much free time.
...Time Leap Machine.
C-come on! Simple is best, right? I mean, that's what Okabe's been calling it for the past two days.
I don't want to hear that from a chuunibyou headcase like you.
I... heard it from a friend. I have no idea where it comes from!
Like I said, simple is best. Mayuri gets it.
In short, this device converts memories to data and sends them to the past.
Let's begin with what we all know. By freak coincidence, the PhoneWave is able to produce ring singularities, much like John Titor's time machine.
The ring singularity is made naked and stable by a device known as a lifter. In our case, that's the 42-inch CRT downstairs.
Through the ring singularity, we are able to send up to 36 bytes of data to the past.
The signal can only be received by phones. While that does limit the range of effect, it also removes an element of uncertainty from the equation.
Unlike D-Mails, memory data is sent in the form of a phone call, so we will be using a phone number, not an email address, to set the destination.
The PhoneWave now has headgear attached.
This headgear records the nerve impulses in the temporal lobe of the brain -- specifically, the CA3 region of the hippocampus, where memories are stored.
Then, using VR technology, we encode the nerve impulses into electrical signal data.
By the way, we'll set it up so that the data decodes automatically after a certain amount of time.
Anybody well versed in programming can do this. I had Hashida make the code.
Anyway, next we send the memory data through the net to the LHC in France.
Next, we hijack the LHC, create a mini black hole, and use that black hole's supergravity to compress the data into 36 bytes.
By the way, the compression only holds in the immediate vicinity of the black hole. Once the data leaves that area, it will begin to decompress on its own.
This, too, takes 23 milliseconds.
While the data is being compressed, we use the PhoneWave to generate a Kerr ring singularity. When the electron discharge phenomenon occurs, we take the 36-byte data, patch it in...
And send it to the past.
This part is just like a D-Mail.
The data travels to the specified time, where it arrives at the recipient's phone.
By now, 23 milliseconds should have passed, so the data will be fully decompressed.
Next, the decoding program runs, converting the data back into nerve impulse signals.
These signals are discharged from from the phone's earpiece at approximately 0.02 amperes, a pretty weak charge.
If the recipient has the phone to his ear, they should go straight into his brain.
If he doesn't, the transfer fails. Fortunately, we lose nothing but that copy of the memory data.
Because we need the recipient to put the phone to his ear. Otherwise the signals won't reach his temporal lobe.
In this area you have the frontal lobe and temporal lobe of the brain. As I explained before, the hippocampus, where memories are stored, is inside the temporal lobe.
The phone sends out electrical impulses that pass through the temporal lobe and into the hippocampus, overwriting the recipient's memories.
At the same time, the phone sends impulses that stimulate the frontal lobe as well. This is important.
Remember that the frontal lobe is responsible for sending retrieval signals to the temporal lobe. This is how you remember things.
By stimulating the frontal lobe, we force it to send retrieval signals keyed to the new memory data.
Thus, the recipient recalls all of those memories as if they were his own.
Which, of course, they are, or will be in the future.
This happens in less than a second.
Now the recipient has the same memories as the sender. The time leap is complete.
If the data came from one week in the future, the recipient will 'remember' that week as if he experienced it firsthand.
We need to be aware that consciousness and personality aren't transferred. Both of those depend on the recipient.
B-boobs!?
Ahem.
Um, since you need a phone to receive the signal, you can only send memories to the times you had one.
We also need to make sure that the sender and recipient are the same person.
If someone besides your past self -- your parents, or a friend, for instance -- answers the phone, then the nerve impulse signals will be projected into their brain instead.
If that happens, your memories could overwrite theirs, which could obviously cause serious damage to their psyche.
...
It's too much for us to handle, that's for sure. The safest thing would be to hand it over to the government for professional research.
What about you, Okabe? And I mean you, not Hououin Kyouma.
...It's hard to choose.
It's not like SERN's time machine. The possibility of becoming a jellyman is zero.
This machine sends data, not the real thing.
Don't let your preconceptions influence your decision.
You might say it's like a cut-and-paste of your brain.
Actually, it's more like a copy-paste. And it's just your memories.
The original doesn't get erased.
...I suppose.
...Logically, the present should change as soon as you send your memories to the past.
I don't know. No one's ever experienced time travel before.
We don't know what happens when you time leap.
If it's the many-worlds interpretation like Titor said, then the instant you time leap, it creates two possibilities -- one where you shift to another worldline, and one where you travel back in time on the same worldline.
Of course, there must also be a worldline where the current you doesn't disappear. That would likely correspond to the present that we are experiencing right now.
I'm talking hypothetically. Titor doesn't matter right now.
If it's the Copenhagen interpretation, then every possible state propagates through space as a wave function. When a particular state is observed, the remaining states collapse and that state is fixed.
This Time Leap Machine only sends memories. That, I guarantee.
Wait. You guys are misunderstanding something.
One hour isn't enough time for your personality to change. You should be the same person one hour ago that you are now.
The only difference is that you'll have an extra hour's worth of memories.
...Well, I can't. Nobody's tried it before.
We don't know. We can argue the theories all we want, but in the end, we can only guess.
This experiment may end up shattering preconceptions scientists and philosophers have held for centuries.
Oh Mayuri...
Bananas don't have brains like people do.
...
Upset?
No, I'm not upset.
'Humans are temporal beings.'
That's a Heidegger quote.
I was actually relieved when you made the decision not to use the machine.
If you hadn't been there, I might not have been able to stop myself.
Thank you.
Uh, what are you doing?
I'm not grateful to you or anything, okay!?
Anyway.
That 'thank you' was just a formality. Don't get me wrong, okay?
And yet you always talk about plunging the world into chaos.
I'm speechless. You're too self-righteous.
Don't argue semantics.
Oh yeah, I forgot to get a plane ticket.
I got too caught up in improving the PhoneWave.
I guess you're right. I should call Mama and let her know.
Maybe she thinks you'll make her wear a costume again.
'Cuteness is Justice'... is that what they say?
Hah? Eh?
Me, cosplay?
I'm sorta interested.
But I refuse to do it in public, though.
Oh, this?
I attended Ayamein for about two weeks. I modeled this outfit after their uniform.
Sure.
Good to know you're still a pervert, Hashida.
Panmoro?
N-no way...
It's plenty embarrassing, trust me!
What's that supposed to mean?
I've been meaning to ask. Did I do something to you?
What do you mean? I've done nothing to be guilty of.
Wow, you can see into my heart? That's groundbreaking technology. I'd love to hear how it works.
So you're just making it up.
You didn't raise me at all.
Nobody asked you. And I'm already a scientist.
Oh? What's this about, Okabe?
What's wrong with her?
We may have created a monster here...
Why...
Why just the three of us?
Mayuri! No!
No... no!
Okabe!
You can't!
You can't! They'll kill you!
Please, Okabe, do what she says. Okay?
Otherwise, they'll kill you too.
No!
Okabe...
No! I should be the one to--
But what if it fails!?
Augh!
Ugh, gh, Okabe!! Are you sure!?
Are you sure about this!? Really!?
Okabe? Are you listening?
What was all that screaming for?
Are you sick?
Then get ready to go already. We're going shopping, remember?
'Humans are temporal beings.'
Are you sure about this!? Really!?
You'll remember the future.
Huh?
Hey, that hurts! Calm down!
Maybe she thinks you'll make her wear a costume again.
'Cuteness is Justice'... is that what they say?
Hah? Eh?
Me, cosplay?
I'm sorta interested.
But I refuse to do it in public, though.
Oh, this?
I attended Ayamein for about two weeks. I modeled this outfit after their uniform.
Sure.
Good to know you're still a pervert, Hashida.
Panmoro?
N-no way...
Japan is over...
What's that supposed to mean?
I've been meaning to ask. Did I do something to you?
What do you mean? I've done nothing to be guilty of.
Wow, you can see into my heart? That's groundbreaking technology. I'd love to hear how it works.
So you're just making it up.
What's wrong with her?
At least tell us where we're going.
Why just the three of us?
No... no!
Okabe!
You can't!
You can't! They'll kill you!
Please, Okabe, do what she says. Okay?
Otherwise, they'll kill you too.
Okabe, I--
But what if it fails!?
Are you sure, Okabe!?
Are you sure about this!? Really!?
Kya! You surprised me!
Don't startle me like that.
W-what's gotten in to you? Stop manhandling me. It's gross.
Okabe? You look kind of crazy. What's wrong?
...What's this about?
Is this another one of your fantasies?
Okabe! Where are you going? Hey!
Wha!?
Don't shout...
I've been working all night, so let me rest a bit...
What's all the commotion?
Shut it, perv.
What's going on, Okabe?
Stop, Okabe! What are you doing!?
Are you trying to break the machine?
You don't have to break⑰ it, Okabe.
We already decided not to experiment. Remember?
Anyway, put the chair down.
You look pale. What's wrong?
Are you listening?
W-wait!
Hey. Don't you think you're a little old to be sitting on the ground in public?
So this is where you went. I've been looking for you.
What?
5:38.
Hey. If you have time to sit around, then you can help me with the shopping.
Well? Are you going to come along or not?
...That's the first time you've said my name properly.
Tell me what happened.
I know you used the Time Leap Machine.
You get a phone call, and suddenly you're like a different person.
It was obvious.
What happened?
If you know that Mayuri's going to die, then what are you doing wasting time here?
What don't you get?
Based on what you said, I guess the chronology protection conjecture is true.
And that's why you keep time leaping...
There's no guarantee that the machine is safe, you know.
Even if the machine works perfectly, repeated use may have serious side effects.
For example, you may become disconnected from causality itself.
You need to understand the risks if you're going to continue.
It happens all the time in sci-fi. You'll become trapped in a closed time loop, never aging, never dying, but doomed to repeat the same day for all eternity.
Worst case, you may cease to exist entirely.
Every trace of your existence will vanish. Nobody will remember you, because your life will have never happened.
Leaping through time is that dangerous.
Heidegger. I was thinking of that quote too.
When?
Right. Of course.
If what you said is true, then I want to save Mayuri too.
But as the co-creator of the Time Leap Machine, I can't recommend its continued use.
Will you listen to my advice?
You're such a stubborn fool.
What you've been through... I'm surprised it hasn't broken you already.
I'll help.
Mayuri's my friend, and a fellow lab mem.
And besides... I don't want to see you in such pain.
Don't apologize.
Remember when I told you about my father? You really helped me out back then.
Now it's my turn to return the favor.
I want to be your strength.
Besides, you still have to come with me to Aomori.
I know you're going to leap no matter what I say. You are a mad scientist, after all, and mad scientists play by their own rules.
Hey. Aren't you supposed to go 'muhahahaha' or something?
Why do I even try?
Anyway, I'm not doing this for you, okay?
I'm doing it for Mayuri.
That, and I think you'll make a good test subject.
It's completely different.
I only experiment on you.
Besides, mad scientists experiment on themselves all the time, don't they?
I-it's just a joke. Don't take it so seriously.
There's not much time. I think you should have a clear plan before trying to change the future again.
Leap to an even earlier time.
Then explain the situation to me again.
Let's go.
I understand why you can't tell Mayuri, but why can't you tell Hashida?
They'll throw you in the slammer for breaking and entering.
I see. That's how it looks from your perspective.
What does it look like from my perspective? What happens here after you leap?
...
It's nothing. I was just thinking.
That would make things easier, though I kind of hope you're wrong.
Exactly.
I set the destination to five hours ago. You should arrive around 1:40 PM.
I completed the Time Leap Machine just after 2. Do you remember?
Nobody likes a man who can't remember dates.
Be thankful that I make a habit of checking the time. I have a pretty good idea what happened when.
Listen, Okabe. If you're going to keep using the Time Leap Machine, there's one thing you must remember.
Don't let go of your phone. Ever. It's your lifeline. Your destination marker.
As long as you keep it with you, you can leap to any time you want.
But if you lose your phone... if someone else gets ahold of it...
If it breaks, or the battery dies...
The time leap will fail.
Once again, never let go of your phone.
After you leap back to this afternoon, just sit tight and don't do anything until I complete the Time Leap Machine.
If you accidentally prevent me from completing the machine, it will likely wreak havoc with the timeline.
As soon as I finish, declare that we will not experiment. Then send everyone home.
Ask me to stay. Tell me the truth. If you say you came from the future, I'll probably believe you.
Who knows me better than myself?
Don't forget. It was my mad skillz that turned the PhoneWave into a time leap machine.
When you told me about your time leap, I took it as proof that my theories were right. I was happy it succeeded. I really was. I didn't doubt it was true for a second.
Just to be safe, I should probably give you a passphrase.
What I want the most right now is my own fork.
It doesn't mean anything, okay!?
I already have my own spoon... wait, that doesn't matter!
Everything's ready! Now get out of here!
Be careful. And remember...
I'm always on your side.
Stop it, perv.
You win, Mayuri. Congratulations.
But I'm finished too.
Complete.
Eh!?
I just finished and you're already shutting it down? What I have been doing these past three days?
H-huh. That's... an unusually respectable opinion, coming from you.
What?
...Yeah.
...
Is that supposed to be funny?
What made you think I'd believe something like that!?
Don't be ridiculous. I would never make such a baseless projection.
I don't talk like that!
Wha--
S-she said that? I'm gonna kill myself five hours from now...
It feels like someone peeked into my heart. And that someone is Okabe, of all people.
But I think I believe you. Tell me the details.
I see... If what you say is true, then we have a serious problem.
Future me said that the chronology protection conjecture holds, but I don't think that's quite right.
That conjecture says that according to quantum theory, time travel is impossible due to the danger of disrupting causality.
But when you time leap, there's no chance of a time paradox occurring.
If that's true, then time leaping can't save Mayuri. Nothing you do will change the result.
Neither can I. The world is trying to kill Mayuri? As I scientist, I refuse to believe such nonsense.
The many-worlds interpretation... That might have something to do with how Mayuri's means of death keeps changing.
But it's supposed to be impossible for parallel worlds to observe each other. Why are you different?
This is no time for your chuunibyou nonsense.
You've mentioned that Reading Steiner thing before. Were you actually serious?
I don't know, but I don't want to rely on something that may not even exist.
Anyway, you can't control which possibilities you observe. Even if the many-worlds interpretation holds true, it's unreasonable to expect that you'll ever find a world where Mayuri doesn't die.
Time leaping won't change the result. I just said that.
Calm down.
Getting emotional won't solve anything.
...True. I don't know what happens five hours from now. To be honest, it doesn't feel real at all.
But it's not like I don't believe you.
You have to stay strong, Okabe.
Maybe Kiryu Moeka shooting her isn't the real cause of her death. Maybe it's something larger and less obvious.
For example, maybe she dies because we invented a time machine, or because SERN discovered our hacking.
If that's the cause, then it doesn't really matter how she dies. Causality remains intact.
Oh, right... hmm...
Anyway, the principle of causality is absolute. Deny that, and you deny all of physics.
There must be a distinct cause for Mayuri's death.
Not necessarily.
The problem is when the causal event occurred.
If it happened too far in the past... then there's nothing we can do.
No. It's still theoretical, but I believe that one leap with our machine has a maximum range of 48 hours.
Before what? I just finished the Time Leap Machine, remember?
Oh, so that's what you mean. Maybe she just didn't have the chance.
I don't know. Even I don't understand everything that's going on inside that thing.
But you can do consecutive leaps. That is, as long as the Time Leap Machine exists. For example, if the Time Leap Machine remains functional for ten straight years, you could leap back to this moment ten years from now.
Of course, it would take a total of 1825 leaps, so I don't recommend it. Still, it's theoretically possible.
Weren't you listening? I said, as long as the Time Leap Machine exists.
When was the machine completed?
Exactly. An hour ago. August 13th, 2010. 2:00 PM, or thereabouts.
It didn't exist before then.
It's impossible to use the machine before 2 PM today.
Most likely.
Eventually, maybe, but certainly not now.
I'd need a real laboratory with real equipment. It would be expensive, which means we'd need sponsors.
And if we go looking, I'm pretty sure SERN would crush us.
I'd say that's proven by the fact that neither you nor I have leapt here from the far future yet.
Hey! Where are you going!?
W-what do we do?
Um...
A society where every activity is controlled by the government. In a dystopia, you're not allowed to eat bananas unless today is banana-eating day. If you break that rule, they throw you in jail without a trial.
SERN is a research institution. They don't have political power. I explained that to John Titor several times online.
Titor came forward, so it's only fair that I do too.
Apotheosized?
Respected? Huh!? I-I am!?
I help SERN build their time machine? I don't believe it.
SERN experiments on people against their will. They're a disgrace to scientists everywhere. I would never collaborate with them.
How did the future me explain herself?
Well... that's just great.
I don't even make it to fifty?
T-they erased me?
No... does that mean Mama's in danger?
Amane-san. You said that most of what you posted as John Titor was true, right?
Does that mean you know how the universe works? You claimed that the Everett-Wheeler model -- the many-worlds interpretation -- is correct.
So you don't know.
Really? Tell me!
What sort of model is that?
Isn't that determinism?
T-there's no erotic one here!
You guys are hopeless. Better do something quick.
Just ignore them.
I thought attractor fields couldn't interact.
The instant they diverge... is that now?
One more question.
These worldlines aren't parallel worlds, are they?
Then how do you observe the differences between worldlines? Wouldn't you need a god's eye view to do that?
Wait a second.
How do we know this is all true? What if Amane-san is just making stuff up?
Calm down. I'm not trying to pick a fight.
But I still have questions. One, how do you know about Okabe's power? Two, how did you know Okabe and I were in Akihabara in 2010?
Don't you know a little too much for someone born in 2017?
...I'm sorry.
Which email are you talking about?
Oh, that...
Can you fix it?
Maybe we can use the Time Leap Machine to go back before Amane-san's time machine broke.
The morning of the 10th. Just before dawn.
...
Just give up. Okabe rarely calls anyone by their name.
Is that the best plan?
You're not going to name the operation?
You couldn't find a good Norse mythology-themed name?
I don't think there's a deep meaning behind it. Chuunibyou patients just love Germanic names for some reason.
So there's still chuunibyou in 2036...
So you have no leads?
A memento...
Welcome back.
From the looks on your faces, I guess you didn't find anything.
He hasn't come back yet. It's already dark, so maybe he went straight home?
Good morning.
I didn't do it for you.
How exactly does it work? It shouldn't be possible to measure changes like that.
So this meter lets other people check worldline divergence?
What? Then there's no point. Make something useful for once, Okabe.
Hey, Okabe, remember the lifter? I don't suppose you've figured out what it is... no, of course you haven't.
R-really? What's your proof?
...Oh, right. The CRT... I see...
Hello.
Oh, I think you got the wrong number.
My name isn't Assistant. And your name isn't Hououin Kyouma.
Bwah!?
How do you know about that!?
I'm gonna post your personal info all over VIP if you don't shut your mouth right this second!
Fine. You called at the right time. We need to talk.
OK. I'll be waiting.
For your information, I don't post t...ti...
I don't post pictures of my chest, okay!?
...
I thought you wanted an open discussion.
Hehehe...
I think you probably forgot, so I wanted to make sure just in case.
Have you been looking for the lifter? You haven't, have you?
R-really? What's your proof?
I see...
What? Don't apologize. It's creepy.
How rude.
I'm sure I've said this before, but I've always accepted time travel as a theory.
I just don't trust people who claim it can be done despite how unrealistic it is.
Besides, I can hardly deny it with evidence staring me in the face.
Though I still don't like the idea of being called the mother of the time machine.
Anyway. If you're apologizing, that must mean you helped out the first time.
Before you started time leaping. You helped me build the machine, didn't you?
Then don't worry about it. I wouldn't want you to have to do it all over again.
And right now, it's more important to repair Amane-san's time machine and search for her father.
Don't you apologize now. It's weird.
Welp, back to work. I should be able to get a lot done now that I know about the lifter.
Done.
I just wish we knew more about Okabe's Reading Steiner thing.
Is it unique to Okabe? Or does everyone have the potential for it, and Okabe's is just stronger by coincidence?
I still don't understand why that is. It would make more sense if you experienced a change in the present, like you do when we send a D-Mail.
Does your consciousness depend on your memories?
I see... that's a little disappointing.
That's the many-worlds interpretation, right?
Control yourself, perv.
How unusually thoughtful of you.
That joke's not even logical. It's impossible for this perv to get married in the first place.
Okay. What's your proof?
2010? But that's this year!
So you're saying he used a different name?
She's right.
Come to think of it, last night, Mayuri asked how to say 'barrel' in Japanese.
It did.
That could just be the placebo effect... but now that you mention it, they kinda do look alike.
For once in your life, don't be a perv...
Haah, whew... whew... no more... running...
You know, it wouldn't be unusual for her to have grandchildren by that age.
Shaddup, Mayuri!
Calm down, both of you. Hashida did everything he could. He doesn't deserve your anger, Okabe.
That's how I am. Sorry. Now calm down.
What are you doing, Okabe!?
Okabe...
Huh? Well, sure...
Four days ago. August 9th.
Do you have a plan?
...see? You're shaking. We've only been at it for two days and you're already exhausted.
We still have plenty of time to find the pin. You don't have to be in such a hurry.
If you collapse, what then? I won't be worried about you, but Mayuri sure will.
Take care of yourself. Got it?
Same... here... haah, whew... the wind's... too strong...
I'd rather... be working... on the time leap machine...
You got a D-Mail, didn't you?
Look at all that space. It's hard to believe they fill this whole area during ComiMa.
I can't believe we have to bike all the way back. What a nightmare...
Same... here... haah, whew... the wind's... too strong...
I'd rather... be working... on the time leap machine...
Hey, are you okay?
Nothing actually happened, so there's not much point in reporting it.
Look at all that space. It's hard to believe they fill this whole area during ComiMa.
I can't believe we have to bike all the way back. What a nightmare...
Same... here... haah, whew... the wind's... too strong...
I'd rather... be working... on the time leap machine...
Hey, Okabe. What's gotten into you?
Hey, are you okay?
I agree that Hashida could be a little less lazy, but you're going way too far, Okabe.
Wh, what?
Wait... did you just say my name correctly?
I don't need an escort from you. I can get back by myself.
So you're the devoted type, huh?
All of a sudden, you're treating Mayuri like a princess.
Today you went to the station to meet her, you taste tested her lunch, and then you held her hand all the way back to the lab.
So what's the deal?
Are you a couple or what? I've been meaning to ask.
Huh!? Uh... well... umm...
So... you're not a couple. Oh. Well, of course! No one would willingly date Okabe, after all.
Hah? What are you talking about?
What the hell are you on about, you self-proclaimed mad scientist chuunibyou nutcase?
Okabe.
Didn't you say we weren't going to experiment with the Time Leap Machine?
In case what?
Stop! Stop!
Run, Okabe! Run!
What is it? You don't normally say my name normally.
That came out weird.
...Now this is a shock.
I never thought I'd hear those words from you. Do you have a fever?
You time leaped, didn't you?
How much do I know about what?
Eh!?
It never even occurred to me.
What are you talking about? I finished it yesterday after an all-nighter, remember?
When did you leap from?
Hmmm...
So basically, you win if you get the IBN 5100 back.
This is just a guess...
But maybe you should look at what Amane-san said from the opposite angle.
I think the critical change takes place when you get the IBN 5100 and erase the data in SERN's database.
That instant is most likely when you'll achieve divergence over 1%.
You've already found it once. That is, if your memories are real.
If you can get back to the worldline where you first obtained it, then isn't it bound to return to you?
You threw a fit about that earlier. I remember thinking, 'Oh god, Okabe's finally lost his ability to distinguish fantasy from reality.'
That's terrible.
It's still a hypothesis. I only came to that conclusion based on your explanation.
If you're mistaking your facts, deceiving me, or shooting off delusions, then this hypothesis will fail.
You can't just blindly follow this hypothesis either.
You may have a safety net, but if you get careless and leave yourself without a way out...
Then you'll never get another chance to save Mayuri.
Why did the IBN 5100 disappear? Which of the D-Mails caused its disappearance?
Figure that out, and you're well on your way to finding the solution.
True, that is interesting. Maybe it's related to the change in divergence.
It could be the Butterfly Effect. If that's the case, any trivial change could produce a significantly deviant result.
Anyway, it's important to act with discretion. Don't do anything careless.
Your death, Okabe, is the worst thing that could possibly happen.
You're probably the only person who can remember previous worldlines. If you die, then consider Mayuri dead for good.
...Don't die. Okay?
W-what!? Don't be ridiculous! Why should I care!?
I'm not worried about you, okay? Don't get the wrong idea.
I just don't want to lose a valuable test subject, that's all. Yeah!
That brain of yours has accumulated memories spanning worldlines and time leaps. It's a precious sample that can rewrite the history of neuroscience!
I want to map your brain and find out just what's going on in there.
In other words, your time leaping helps me, too! After all, the Time Leap Machine is the fruit of my research, so to speak, and I--
...
Oh. G-great.
Ah...
D-don't apologize, dummy. It's confusing...
And besides, I don't even remember helping you before! How are you going to take responsibility for this!?
I wish I could remember too...
Then I'd always have something to rub your nose in!
You're one to talk.
Okabe! Can you hear me!? We called a taxi, but it'll take some time to get there.
I see. Then I'll lecture you on how to escape. You're in the same the place you were before, right?
Scatter the flour and make a break for it. OK?
Then switch on the light.
Okabe? What are you doing? I thought we weren't going to--
This seems serious.
Delicacy? That's like the exact opposite of what anyone expects from you.
Oh, you.
Why do you need to ask a girl anyway?
Urushibara-san is actually a guy? That's totally ridiculous.
So basically, umm...
She looked like Hashida?
Unacceptable! There's no way such a cute girl was a guy.
He looked like she does now?
Acceptable.
Anyway. You want to turn her back into a guy?
Mayuri's life is tied to Urushibara-san's gender... That's so crazy it doesn't seem real at all.
Have you come up with a solution?
I don't know if she's going to appreciate that.
Regret won't change anything.
There's only one piece of advice I can give.
Don't say anything to Urushibara-san.
Based on what you've told me, you have the advantage this time. You already know the contents of the D-Mail.
So you don't have to tell her -- him? Ex-him?
...You don't have to tell Urushibara-san. Just send the cancellation D-Mail.
If the worldline changes, then that will all be undone.
In which case, ethical concerns don't really matter.
What!? Are you an idiot!? Why didn't you write it down!?
What if you just ask for the pager number directly? Think up a good excuse.
What are you so scared of? That's not the vain and arrogant Okabe I know.
Just make up some nonsense like you always do. I mean, you know how gullible she is, right?
...Wow, I hate myself for saying that. I'm a bad girl.
A mad scientist, sincere? That's a good one.
It's more like you to say 'I'll brainwash her, muhahaha!'.
So what are you talking to me for? Go to her now, and tell her what you told me.
You raised a flag.
Don't you get it? You raised a flag. Or I guess you could say you tripped over a flag that was already raised.
Why!? It's a romance flag, genius.
Urushibara-san likes you.
When her beloved Hououin Kyouma told her she was a guy, it tore her pure maidenly heart into tiny little pieces.
In other words, your plan was a massive failure.
Love is trouble. There's no formula for calculating people's feelings. Too many unknowns to solve for.
The direct approach was a mistake. It'll be even harder to persuade her now.
You should think of another way this time. Like asking her mother directly.
Though I'm sure the Urushibara family already thinks of you as the man who made their daughter cry. So they might have their guard up.
How should I know?
That's just your perspective.
From everyone else's perspective, she was always a girl. It makes perfect sense.
Think in terms of the current worldline.
Anyway, there's a bigger problem.
Will changing Urushibara-san's gender to male really bring the IBN 5100 back?
So you're gradually approaching the original worldline.
You know, I've been thinking. You really shouldn't be able to change the worldline so easily.
I mean, there are six billion people in the world.
It doesn't make sense that switching a single person's gender could cause such a huge change in the worldline.
0.05% is pretty big.
What did Amane-san have to say about that?
Maybe the divergence meter actually measures your distance to the IBN 5100...
In any case, what you're saying is that all of the D-Mails we sent had an influence on the IBN 5100's location somehow?
Hmmm. So just cancel the D-Mails that activated Reading Steiner, and the IBN 5100 might come back to you.
Well, you tripped a romance flag, so...
Hmm...
...Ah!
B-by the way, Okabe. Is there... someone you like?
Wh-why aren't you answering?
Oh... okay.
Ah, no, just wondering! There's no hidden meaning, okay!?
Is not!
A-anyway! You should go out with Urushibara-san!
Y-you don't like anyone else, right? Then answer her feelings, you dummy.
Just go out with her.
If there's nobody you like, then there's no reason not to, is there?
Get close and help her work through her feelings. Then she'll probably tell you what you need to know.
...Only consider this as a last resort.
If you're willing to hurt Urushibara-san, you can always take the information by force.
She'll forget after the worldline changes, won't she? In that case, I think it's a valid option.
But only when compared to Mayuri's death.
...I hate myself for suggesting this.
Stop staring. You're distracting me. How many times do I have to tell you?
Make it short.
Tell me why. If it's a date or something, then I refuse.
...
What.
A-ahem. Actually, we have something to talk to you about, Urushibara-san.
Did you know? Male and female brains are very different.
Male brains are right-dominant. Female brains are left-dominant.
By the way, the right brain handles image processing, spacial processing, and comprehensive judgment. The left brain handles things like language, and calculation.
The right and left brains are connected by the corpus callosum, which is more developed in females.
You know how people say that girls are better at multitasking? That can be explained by the development of the corpus callosum.
Actually, these theories are kinda fringe. They're not really that credible.
So if you don't mind, I'd like to do an experiment.
I want to try mapping your brain patterns to see if they're more female or male.
Brainwave mapping. We just take a sample of your brainwaves. Anyway, you'll understand if you try it. Okay? Okay? It won't hurt a bit.
It'll be okay, I promise. It won't hurt a bit. Just come to the lab and we'll--
Fwahn! Wh-what!?
I'm just treating her like a valuable test sub--
Yeah, okay. So that's the thanks I get for going out of my way to help you. I'm gone. You're on your own now.
...Oh, shut up.
...
What is it?
Sup, you filthy normal?
No. Fill me in.
How am I supposed to listen from all the way over here?
Roger.
And? Why are you asking me? Just grant Urushibara-san's wish.
What's wrong with her? I mean, look how cute she is.
Her being a guy might just be your imagination.
From my perspective, she's always been a girl.
Just give up. Bye.
Well?
Did you agree to go out with her? Well, I can kind of guess based on Urushibara-san's reaction.
You told me to watch, didn't you?
Yeah?
Our insane mad scientist is dating a high school girl. That's not insane at all.
Sorry. I didn't mean to be snippy. I'm just a little irritated.
You made this choice to save Mayuri. So I'll change my way of thinking too.
Anyway, do you have any plans for your date tomorrow?
Well, do you?
And?
You're obviously a virgin, thank you ver--
...Hah!?
...P-pretend you didn't just hear that.
S-sorry...
Ugh...
Shut up! What's wrong with being a virgin!?
...Hah!?
Ah... awhawha...
L-let's get out of here!
What's important for a first date is to make a good impression.
An unclean appearance is out of the question. A haircut is especially important. Long hair looks dirty, so it's no good.
For clothes, you should wear something exactly the right size. Though it may be trendy, especially in Akiba, for young men to wear baggy clothes, it looks sloppy, so it's not good.
On the first date, conversation tends to break due to mutual nervousness. What's important is to play 'conversation catch'.
One-sided conversations aren't fun for the other side. Girls especially like to talk, so the guy should try to keep the conversation going.
Not just by listening. Throwing in appropriate responses is also necessary. Responsiveness gives the girl the impression that you're really listening to her.
Basically, you need to be the opposite of yourself.
Anyway, focus on acting normal for now. No more of that idiotic laughter.
You're too heavy-handed with girls. You talk too pompously. You fire off nonsensical delusions.
Who are you calling an American virgin?
Yeah, sure thing, virgin.
There's a saying. 'A fortress is judged by how many attacks it repulses; a soldier is judged by how many fortresses he takes.'
...You're right. This is a dumb argument.
Anyway, this dating manual actually says some pretty interesting things.
Like 'when walking down the street, be sure to put yourself between your date and the road' or 'whatever you do, don't make the girl pay for anything'. Okay! For your date tomorrow, make sure you follow all of these rules.
And after that, there's... carry a clean handkerchief. Spread it out when the girl goes to sit on a park bench.
But that's what the book says.
When it's time to eat, avoid fast food of all kinds. Family restaurants are borderline acceptable. Anything else depends on your budget.
Arrive at the meeting place at least 15 minutes early. Tardiness is unacceptable.
Then you just need to decide where to take her. Movies, art galleries, strolling through town, and food are all safe.
Ah, that's really romantic!
...I mean, that's virgin imagination at full throttle. You've read too much manga.
Besides, your date's a minor, so don't even think about bringing her to a hotel, okay?
That just about covers it. Well? Was my lecture helpful?
Hwehh...!
...
Oh-ho... So you're making moves on too many girls, huh?
Okabe? Mayuri called. She was mad. You stood her up on your promise to go to ComiMa.
What? Explain yourself.
Okabe. It's been three days. Will you at least eat something?
You knew, didn't you?
You knew that Mayuri would die.
Why don't you time leap?
I was sure that you would do anything to save Mayuri, even use the Time Leap Machine.
What happened to your plan to change Urushibara-san's gender and take back the IBN 5100?
You were so set on saving Mayuri. What are you still doing here?
Wait... did you already send the D-Mail? Did you already change worldlines?
If so, and you're just a remnant Okabe left behind, then that means worldlines are parallel, and this line is doomed to continue without Mayuri...
What do you mean?
...
...Will you eat?
I can make cup noodles, if you like. Or should I go get something?
I suppose I could, but why? It looks like you've already blamed yourself enough.
Maybe we just don't have the right to change the past after all.
Besides...
No one can blame you.
You've been fighting alone this whole time, one man disconnected from causality.
No one else can understand your pain.
No one else can understand the meaning of your choice.
There's no way I can blame you, when I haven't time leaped even once.
I'm not. When you chose to save Mayuri with the Time Leap Machine, you must have known that no one would ever understand.
So accept what you've done.
Do that, and you'll never forget the meaning of your choice.
However...
You should also take responsibility for the girl you did⑰ save.
Mayuri is dead. It's sad -- no, sad doesn't even begin to describe it -- but Mayuri is gone.
You couldn't change convergence. You couldn't defy fate.
But she⑰ is still alive. Thanks to you, she's still alive, as a girl.
And I think she's suffering alone, just like you.
Aren't you the only one who can understand her suffering? You're her accomplice, remember?
Is there more tomorrow?
What!?
Hey! Don't put words in my mouth!
Maybe, but nobody said anything about going.
No way. I'd suffocate in a crowd like that.
You go, Okabe. You're Mayuri's guardian, aren't you?
Oh, right. That's what it was.
Well you don't want your hostage to escape, do you? Shouldn't you take her along in handcuffs or something?
What do you mean, business?
No answer? I guess it was just an excuse.
Again? Abrupt as usual.
Nothing.
I'm not going to ComiMa.
Losing your memory now? Does our little mad scientist have an acetylcholine deficiency?
You're acting weird today. What's going on?
I mean, yeah. This is like the fifth time you've brought me outside to talk about the Time Leap Machine.
You're time leaping?
That many!? What the hell are you doing!?
...I think I get it.
Don't wear yourself out.
Why are you always like that!? I'm even trying to be nice. You're really full of yourself, you know?
Okabe...
That's why you want me to go to ComiMa?
I can't believe there's nothing we can do.
It just doesn't feel real. But it's the truth, isn't it? I can see it in your eyes.
...Are you okay?
I know. That's not what I meant.
Are you⑰ okay?
You're carrying an awful burden.
Then why don't you time leap now?
I don't want to see Mayuri die either, you know.
Where did all this trust come from?
You're so full of yourself.
Okabe! She's... aah... why... I don't...
She just... I saw it happen! She's dead! Mayuri's dead! This... this can't be...
She s-suddenly collapsed. Why!? It doesn't make sense. She's not breathing. She won't answer at all. Please, Mayuri!
Okabe, what should I... what do I do? Help! Please! Mayuri's dead!
Finally.
Where are you?
Where are you?
Is it woman? You're with a woman, aren't you?
Shut up.
You promised you'd help with the PhoneWave, remember? Or is your lab mem number just for show?
...What are⑰ you doing? Where are you?
So you are with a woman. You're the worst.
You have to take it from her by force.
You're up against an agent of SERN. Play nice and you could end up dead.
I know you're pretty weak and scrawny, but you should be able to handle her in her current state.
You might think I'm a monster for saying this... not that I care what you think, but...
Kill her if you have to.
L-love!? Uh...
...Well, thanks.
Good, you're still thinking.
I can't be certain whether your story is true, and I don't quite understand this attractor field hypothesis.
But based on what you told me...
If this Kiryu woman commits suicide four days from now, then that means her death flag is already active.
In other words, this worldline has approved her death.
On previous worldlines where that wasn't the case, you probably couldn't have killed her even if you tried. Something would have happened to prevent it.
Or possibly, killing her would have caused a dramatic shift in worldline divergence.
But on this specific worldline, her death is already certain.
As you've experienced with Mayuri's death, the result is what matters, not the process.
I believe the same applies to Kiryu. It doesn't matter how she dies.
Don't be a hypocrite. We're not talking about right and wrong here, Okabe.
As long as you have the Time Leap Machine, you can undo anything, even murder.
The result will be that you gained the necessary information without killing anybody.
...Phew. Just remember one thing. You're responsible for what you do.
...I guess that's quite a thing for me to say, huh? After telling you to kill her.
Get it done, Okabe. Bye.
This is Makise.
Okay, but what's that noise!?
So you didn't kill her. Good job!
It's ready.
Still here. She's at the Braun Tube Workshop trying to get the manager to turn on the CRT.
About her death? Of course not.
Did you send it?
The discharge is occurring as normal.
Definitely.
You mean it failed? Why?
Could we have sent it to the wrong date?
Check when the original D-Mail arrived. Maybe her reaction will change if the new one arrives just after that.
Try sending different messages.
If that doesn't work, I'll adjust the timer.
I can hear him shouting from below. Hashida and Mayuri are trying to calm him down, but who knows how long that'll last.
I don't think there's much time left.
Still not working?
Okabe? What's wrong?
Huh? What hasn't changed?
Okabe! Okabe!? Answer me!
What's that pounding? Are you okay?
What do you mean!?
Don't be ridiculous! If you're in trouble, then get out of--
Okabe!?
Haah... don't worry me like that... idiot...
I-I mean, you set off an obvious death flag. I'm surprised you're still alive!
I'm standing by at the lab.
Destination?
11 AM on the 31st...
Okay, all set.
Activated.
...Well?
Another mistake?
What did the first D-Mail say?
Wait. We went through this with the LOTO SIX experiment, remember?
The person who reads the D-Mail chooses whether or not to act accordingly.
Kiryu learned that the IBN 5100 was at the shrine. Though the cancellation mail came right afterward, I guess she ignored it and went anyway.
Damn. Even when told it was too risky to go to the shrine, she went anyway...
Like what?
Were you even interested in the IBN 5100 then?
What?
Do you have FB's phone?
Then there's nothing we can do.
Gonna make me wait again? Well, I've been pulling all-nighters recently, so whatever.
Just don't do anything stupid, okay?
...
I thought I asked you to keep me posted.
Busy. Right.
O-of course not! Why should I care what you're up to?
It's just... Mayuri was really worried. I don't want to see her sad.
So at least give her a call, okay?
Our enemy? But...
Isn't she our enemy?
Isn't she the one who... killed Mayuri?
Whatever. So where are you going now? Take me with you.
I'm perfectly sane, and I'm not your assistant.
Eh...
Do I die today?
Then there's no problem. This worldline has essentially guaranteed my survival.
...So the manager was FB.
Okabe! We need to send the D-Mail now.
Miss this chance, and you could be in a lot of trouble.
Your goal is to save Mayuri, not take revenge on SERN. Right?
...I don't want anyone else to be hurt because of the machine we built.
I'll try calling.
He said he'll be there in five minutes.
By the way, something weird happened back there.
While I was waiting outside, I heard a gunshot.
And right after that... I saw her.
Nae-chan.
She ran out the back door.
When I called her to stop... our eyes met.
No way...
...
Calm down!
Check on Kiryu-san! I'll call an ambulance.
No, wait! Before that...
Maybe you should just send the D-Mail.
...Okabe.
I think you should send the D-Mail.
Everything's ready at the lab.
Based on the attractor field model you spoke of...
She'll be more likely to live if divergence exceeds 1%.
...Sorry. I wish I knew what to say.
...Okabe?
That girl... you mean Nae-chan?
...She was like a different person.
Don't worry about it, Okabe.
Send the D-Mail right now. That'll solve everything.
Our enemy? But...
Isn't she our enemy?
Huh?
Well, yeah, but where did that question come from?
...!
There really was a gunshot...
Okabe!
What happened!? Are you okay!?
I brought it, but...
Hey, tell me what happened, will you!?
Should I call an ambulance!?
R-right. If the worldline changes, then this wound will go away.
What do you mean?
...Huh?
Moeka-san's apartment? Never.
Why do you ask?
Uh, he's not here.
He went to ComiMa, remember?
Let me sleep, for crying out loud.
I was up all night.
Will you guys shut up? You're giving me a headache.
Argh! Shut up!
What are you talking about!?
First, get your character straight! What kind of mad scientist talks about the Hammer of Justice?
Uh, I don't think that's a good idea.
Are you trying to get us arrested?
Okabe...
Oh god...
Fascinating.
In theory. I'd like to see objective data, but that's obviously impossible.
O-of course it did.
Besides, we were already planning to crack SERN's database, weren't we?
Fine. Let's see what's in there. If the mail data exists, then it's proof that what you said is true.
Uh, you lost me.
So the first D-Mail started everything...
Was that the one you showed me at ATF?
The one that said I died or something.
What?
There you are.
What are you doing here?
You said you wanted to be alone. I ran the numbers and concluded that I had the greatest probability of finding you here.
H-hey! Is that how you treat someone who's worried about you?
N-not that I'm worried about you or anything!
I was going to leave you alone at first.
But you've been acting weird the last couple days. I mean, you're always weird, but more than usual.
You look like a kid forced to eat crappy oatmeal. What happened?
Then why did you cancel the cracking of SERN?
Oh, so you're afraid of triggering arrest flags. I get it.
That's not like you at all. What happened to your ego? What happened to the insane mad scientist, Hououin Kyo--
...!
...Which friend to let die? What are you talking about?
Uh... I may have figured that out when we first met.
Tell me, Okabe. What do you mean?
You've never hesitated to ask me for help before.
Don't hold back now.
...eh?
And where SERN doesn't take over the world, right. Everyone lives. Everyone is free. You made it sound perfect.
...
...
...
Hey, Okabe.
How credible do you find this attractor field model?
It's all secondhand info from John Titor -- from Amane-san, isn't it?
I get that it's the accepted model in 2036.
But how exactly did scientists prove the existence of attractor fields?
Even if they're right about convergence...
What about the relationship between worldlines?
But that's just from your perspective, Okabe.
Once you go to the Beta worldline, the 'me' that your brain perceives will die.
In other words, your perspective will have chosen the worldline where I die instead of the one where I don't. However...
Why can't the world your brain perceives be different from the world my brain perceives?
Like trains, maybe.
Um, let me give you an easy example...
If I want to take the train from Akiba to Yokohama, which route should I use?
It's just an example. Geez.
You choose to take the Yamanote Line to Tokyo Station, then transfer to the Tokaido Main Line for the rest of your trip.
But I take the Yamanote Line to Osaki, then transfer to the Shonan-Shinjuku Line.
Another person -- say, Hashida-san -- might decide to take the Keihin Tohoku Line for some reason.
And Mayuri might ride the Shinkansen from Tokyo.
You and I ride the same train until Tokyo Station. But from there, we ride different lines, while still aiming for the same destination.
...I like to use my imagination too, sometimes.
But where's the proof that there's only one world?
In other words, an unknown time traveler and your unexplainable super power.
There's no way to prove that she was Hashida's daughter, or anything she said about 2036 either. Not without going there ourselves.
And if Reading Steiner is what you say, then it means that your subjective experience influences the memories of every single human being.
That's completely absurd, Okabe. If it's true, then you're literally a god.
But there are no gods in reality.
The world doesn't revolve around you.
It's just your brain making you believe that it does.
If that makes you this world's god, then I must be a god too. My brain is just as big as yours.
Let's say you choose the worldline where I die. That doesn't mean I have to do the same.
The fact is that I am standing here right now, observing the world with my own subjectivity.
I already exist on a worldline where I don't die.
Even if your perspective shifts to the Beta worldline, my perspective might remain here.
It's a question of where the soul lies. And I won't let you have your way with my soul.
But there's a chance I'm right.
So you have nothing to worry about.
The problem is that you don't want to let me die, right?
But if my hypothesis is correct, I'll still be alive on another possible worldline.
So there's no reason to be afraid.
The same is true of attractor fields.
It hasn't been proven. Even if someone did prove it by 2036, that doesn't help us here in the present.
In other words...
Anything is possible.
You really don't have to worry about me, Okabe. It would just hurt my pride if you did.
Your phone's ringing.
Answer it. I don't mind.
What did Mayuri say?
You're such a wimp. I'm disappointed in you.
Did you not hear what I just said?
A burden, huh...
Then you should tell her that.
Okabe.
The old you wouldn't have worried about anything.
Anyway, you should go see Mayuri.
I'm sure she has a lot to say.
...Okabe.
Right. I forgot I might run into you here.
...Thinking.
...
...Oh, okay.
Huh? Oh, yeah.
What the hell!?
Whew, what a surprise.
You should've warned me sooner. Even my underwear's soaked.
What do you mean?
...!
Ugh, I forgot that you're a perv too.
J-just drop it! If you're imagining what color my underwear is, I'll kill you!
Achoo!
I'm not stripping naked, if that's what you're suggesting! Your pervy tricks won't work on me!
Grr...
Another word, and I'll make you eat your cerebral neocortex with ponzu sauce!
A storm like that shouldn't last long. Guess we'll just wait it out.
H-hey, get your own stair!
W-what?
Y-you're too close...
Don't come any closer, okay? You can stay where you are, but come any closer, and I'll push you away, okay?
...Don't look at me.
So you were⑰ looking.
What are you talking about?
Is clumsiness one of your character traits?
Yeah, yeah.
Give it here.
I happen to have a sewing kit with me. I'll stitch it up for you.
Something wrong with that?
Can't I be a domestic experiment-loving girl?
Relatively, maybe. Well, actually, I don't know the domesticity index for Japanese high school girls these days.
It's wet, so it's kinda hard to thread.
Get over it already. Is it really so wrong for me to have a sewing kit?
So you're saying I brought it with me because I somehow knew your coat was going to get ripped. Uh-huh.
Ridiculous.
And before you get the wrong idea, I'm not fixing your coat because I want to or anything, okay?
Don't mock me. You just happened to tear your clothes, and I just happened to have a sewing kit handy when you did. It's coincidence. That's all.
So now you're saying that I went back in time for the sole purpose of repairing your stupid lab coat. Uh-huh.
Ridiculous. Ridiculous! There. It's so important I said it twice. Comprendes?
What's that, sarcasm? All you do is complain.
Here.
Um, by the way... it was dark, so I couldn't really see.
If it turns out bad, it's not my fault. It was dark. That's all.
Oh, and I hope you like the color. Because I have no idea which thread I used.
Black, red, or pink. Those are the three possibilities.
Achoo!
I guess.
But it's wet.
...
...Have you made your decision yet?
Sigh... You still haven't made up your mind?
You like Mayuri, don't you?
It's probably just my imagination, but lately, I've been seeing things. Like a strange sort of deja vu.
In these visions, you're fighting to save Mayuri all by yourself. You never give up, no matter how much it hurts.
Then you come to me for help. You're so desperate, so earnest, that I just have to do what I can.
N-not that I'm doing it for you, okay!? I just want to save Mayuri, that's all.
Anyway, these images are stuck in my head, like memories.
I tried self-analysis. Maybe I'm mistaking dreams for reality, projecting my hopes and fantasies... I don't know.
But there's one thing I do⑰ know.
You have to save Mayuri.
...
You know, it kinda feels like we're trapped in an ancient ruin.
Like the world ended...
And we're the only two people left.
I've been thinking.
Say you go to the Beta worldline, and everyone else goes with you.
What if I can't go with you? What if I'm the only one left behind?
Would the entire world become like this place?
It's just a theory... but I can't help but wonder.
Don't make promises you can't keep!
You asked me if I wasn't afraid.
...Of course I'm afraid.
Maybe I'll disappear. Maybe I'll be left behind all alone.
Or maybe only you will disappear and everything else will stay the same.
The world will continue, and nobody will even know that you existed. I'll go back to America as if nothing ever happened.
Maybe... maybe... maybe!
I feel hopeless, just thinking about all the possibilities.
But even so!
Do you think I would tell you to let Mayuri die!?
Jesus, it's cold!
It's because of these wet clothes! This sucks.
Anyway, enough of this nonsense. It's nothing but conjecture. Baseless. Worthless. I want to cut open my skull and excise the part of my brain that comes up with these delusions.
Listen, Okabe.
You can't save both of us. Correct?
No matter how you struggle, it's one or the other.
No buts. My answer won't change.
Save Mayuri.
You can, and you must! There's no other way.
Okabe!
Is there another solution? There isn't, is there?
I don't want to live if it means sacrificing Mayuri!
If you don't save her, I'll never forgive you!
Eh...?
Okabe...
Thank you. I know you're hurting for me.
But you've done enough. I'm fine, so just think about Mayuri, okay?
...
...I know.
Well then.
I'm heading back.
The lab, of course. I need to dry my clothes. I wanna take a shower, too.
You stay here and soak for a while.
Understand?
Thanks for coming to see me off.
Hm? Oh. Yeah, it does.
I was supposed to go back at the beginning of the month. But then I ran into a certain mad scientist, and ended up staying longer than planned.
There's nothing else I can help you with anyway. And I don't want to be a liability.
What's wrong, Mayuri? Are you feeling sick?
W-whoa, what's going on!?
Thank you, Mayuri.
But this was my decision too. I'm okay with it. Really.
Okabe loves you, you know.
It's true, isn't it?
It would make him really sad if you died. You don't want him to be sad, do you?
Yeah... I know. It makes me sad too.
But this was going to happen eventually. I had to go back to America sooner or later.
So even if you move to another worldline, just think of me as being in America. It's practically the same thing.
You have to listen to us now, Mayuri.
Okabe. Don't ever let go of her again.
Well, I'm off.
Thank god I'll never have to see your silly face again!
Don't follow me!
I don't want pity. It will only make it worse.
This is my decision. Nothing you can say will change my mind.
...Goodbye.
Promise me, Mayuri. Promise me you'll find happiness.
...Kuh!
This is ridiculous! You... motherfucker⑰!
I said I was fine! What do you mean you won't give up!? Are you stupid? Wanna die?
Are you trying to be a hero, you chuunibyou wackjob? Don't make promises you can't keep!
Your stupidity is infuriating! Why can't you just do as I say!?
What's the problem, huh!? If you weigh the options logically, saving Mayuri is the only--
...!
Hmph!
There's nothing you can do. It's the choice of Steins Gate. Isn't that what you always say?
The equation is proven, Okabe. There's no escape.
You're just one man. No matter how hard you try, you can't overcome the will of the universe.
Kuh...
Have it your way! But I'm not helping. I'm going back to America, and that's that.
Goodbye. I don't expect we'll meet again, Hououin Kyouma.
I can't believe this! How stupid can you be? You're so... stupid!
Running away?
Time leaping is just running away.
Then why are you hesitating now?
Running only makes it hurt more.
I should know.
Look at yourself, Okabe. You look like you've aged a decade.
Your heart can't take it anymore. You don't need to beat yourself up like this. Just accept the truth.
Like I said, you can't stay here.
Go to the Beta worldline. Go to the world where Mayuri doesn't die.
Not just for your sake, but for mine as well.
Hey! Could you not talk about me like that? I'm perfectly fine.
Let's say we wanted to make a machine that could physically transport people through time. What would we need?
Who the hell's Christina!? I never said that!
I don't want to deny who I've been. Because even my failures are a part of who I am today.
We may have created a monster here...
You said I was your friend, remember? You said I was important to you. That made me really... happy, I guess...
Once we're done upgrading the PhoneWave... I want you to come with me.
I want to be your strength.
Thank you. I know you're hurting for me.
Hey, Okabe.
Once you go to the Beta worldline, Mayuri and Hashida will forget the time we spent together, right?
Will you... remember me?
Eh? Y-you mean...
Wh-what the hell are you saying!?
B-but... proof. I need proof. I can't come up with a formula otherwise!
When the anterior pituitary gland hypersecretes ACTH, and gamma waves induce stochastic resonance, we can assume an infinite Hausdorff dimension for the Hilbert curve. That is, we can measure the asymptotic line with positron emission tomography...?
...!
Eh!? Wh-what!?
Y-you want to know?
...
Close your eyes!
Just shut up and close them!
...
nn...
...
I-it's not like I did it... because I wanted to or anything.
It's just... you promised... that you wouldn't forget about me.
Research shows that memories are harder to forget when coupled with intense emotions.
Y-you're a virgin and a perv, so I was sure you'd have an elaborative rehearsal on your first kiss, instantly making it a long-term memory you'd never forget... so...
I just don't want you to forget about me, Okabe. No matter what.
...eh?
W-why you... You're just a cherry boy!
So it wasn't your first...
Wha...
Th-then I guess there's no choice...
Just a kiss... okay?
Be gentle... okay?
Okabe...
Mm...
Don't forget me...
mm...
...
It's too fast...
Time is going by too fast.
I could really use a word with Einstein right now.
Time is not absolute.
Einstein proved that time could be fast or slow, depending on the observer.
Hey, Okabe.
The theory of relativity is so romantic...
...and so sad, don't you think?
...Well then.
...I think that would just make it harder.
But you, I have no trouble leaving behind.
...That was a joke.
Uh... no thanks.
Oh, fine. I guess I'll take it.
Yeah...
But these two weeks were fun, in their own way.
Give my regards to Mayuri and Hashida, okay?
Hang in there, Okabe.
--!
Goodbye.
Okabe, I lo--
I don't want to deny who I've been. Because even my failures are a part of who I am today.
Going to the past is possible right now. Look into the sky at night, and you can see how things were tens of thousands of years ago.
Um, do I know you?
You came down from the roof just now, didn't you?
I heard a strange sound from the roof. Is that why the building shook just now?
What's going on? It's not Doctor Nakabachi's doing, is it?
Are you listening? You're sweating like crazy.
Hey!
Please answer my question!
...Answer me.
Can you... what?
W-wait! Stop!
...
...I wanted to talk.
Are you listening, Papa?
I heard you were giving a presentation on time travel.
So I thought about it too. Could it be possible to make a time machine?
I'd like your opinion, Papa.
We can polish it together, then submit it to the scientific community.
I don't know if they'll listen, but just in case, I do have acquaintances at Science Magazine.
Well... no, but...
You invited me to come, remember? It was the first time we'd talked in seven years. That's what got me thinking.
And as I worked on the thesis, I started to realize it might actually be possible to build a time machine. 
If the thesis is published, you could have your revenge on the scientific community for shunning you--
Please don't yell...
You read really fast, Papa. Just like I remember.
You think so?
We can submit it jointly, if you like. I don't mind.
...What do you mean?
...
I'm sorry...
Um... we haven't seen each other in a while. There's a lot I want to talk about. You're living in Aomori now, right?
I think... my father hates me.
Eh...
But--
I... I don't understand. Please calm--
I wasn't--
...
You're... stealing it, Papa?
You're stealing my work? I didn't think even you would do something like--
Ah!
Ah, guh...
Guh, gah hoh gah hoh gah hoh...
Stop it, Papa!
This is crazy, Papa! Please stop!
Guh...!
NO!
Ah... guh...!
I'm... sorry...
Haah... haah...
Because... he's still... my father.
I just... wanted him... to accept me...
I studied... so hard... hoping he would... praise me...
But now... I finally... understand...
Papa... didn't want... to accept me...
I'm such... an idiot...
Why... did I save him... I wonder...
I'm... sorry... for getting you... involved...
Ugh... it hurts...
Am I... going to die?
I don't want to die...
I don't want it... to end... like this...
Help... me...
He...lp...
...
You're stealing my work? I didn't think even you would do something like--
...Ah!
H-hey, you just came down from the--
Eh?
What?
W-wait!
...I wanted to talk.
Are you listening, Papa?
I heard you were giving a presentation on time travel.
So I thought about it too. Could it be possible to make a time machine?
Please don't yell...
Um... we haven't seen each other in a while. There's a lot I want to talk about. You're living in Aomori now, right?
Eh...
But--
I... I don't understand. Please calm--
I wasn't--
You're... stealing it?
You're stealing my work? I didn't think even you would do something like--
Ah!
Ah, uuh...
Guh, gah hoh gah hoh gah hoh...
Run away!
No! Papa, stop!
Don't move!
Lie down! I'll call an ambulance!
What--
----
It's you!
I've been looking everywhere for you!
Ever since you saved my life.
I was afraid I'd never have a chance to say thank you.
I'm so glad we could finally meet.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
And thank goodness you're alright.
How many times do I have to tell you!? I'm not Christina, or your assistant or--
Eh?
Huh? I... why did I say that?
Words just... popped into my head...